Holiday Swap
by EverythingIDo
Summary: When Bella and Alice swap homes for the holidays, the last thing they expect is to find love waiting for them in a foreign land...but will fate step in to show them what they really need? Loosely based on the movie The Holiday. ALL HUMAN, CANON COUPLES.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, it's all Stephenie Meyer's, but her characters are fun to play with :) I also don't own_ The Holiday_, though a lot of the events in the story will be different than in the movie, and I do own those :)**

_**ALSO, A thank you to my wonderful beta, lovingangels07. Her story, Risky Business, is incredible. CHECK IT OUT!! **_

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**Prologue**

_Alice POV_

I was sitting outside of my boss' office when I got the feeling. You know the feeling I'm talking about; it's the one you get right before something happens and it changes your life forever. It was like fate telling you that a major life event was just around the corner and you should probably hold on and enjoy the ride because, baby, this was it. This was your chance to achieve what you've been dreaming of since you were a little girl dancing around in your mother's pumps and pearls.

I only had the feeling one other time in my life. Not surprisingly, it was the first time my mother took me to Paris. It just so happened our trip to the _City of Lights_ coincided with the same time of the year fashion designers and stylists from every corner of the globe swarmed the streets for one of the most important weeks of the year: fashion week. I instantly fell in love with the fabrics, sequins, and the overall atmosphere. After hours of begging Esme to take me to one show,_ any show_, she finally gave in, and we were able to miraculously land a ticket to the Dior show.

Our seats were in the last row but I didn't care; I was enraptured by the styles I saw being pranced down the runway and I knew in that moment, I would be one of those fabulously dressed women sitting in the front row furiously jotting down the pieces they wanted to claim for their clients. I wanted to be a stylist. The fact that the feeling made its home in the pit of my stomach excited me. '_Could this be it'_, I wondered to myself, _'Could this be the big promotion that I'd been vying for since my first day as a style intern for Jane Luke?'_

I wasn't allowed the pleasure of daydreaming any further about what the future might hold because suddenly, my ice queen of a boss herself, emerged from her glass-walled office with an impatient look on her face.

"Alice?" she asked and I looked up with wide eyes hoping they reflected kindness. The woman might be a bit of a slave driver, but she was also one of the most respected in the business. Celebrities and socialites from around the world have used our style agency to help them reach incomparable levels of perfection.

As she motioned for me to follow her, I allowed myself one deep breath to steady my nerves, I was all-business.

"Have a seat," she instructed me once we were inside her office and the door had been closed.

I followed her orders and patiently folded my hands across my lap while I watched her pick up a large manila folder from her desk.

"Here," she said, handing it to me, "I believe you've earned this."

I'm fairly certain that my eyes widened so far that my eyeballs were in danger of dropping out of my head. With shaking hands I took the envelope from her and practically ripped it open in my excitement.

I quickly searched; scanning the pages for any indication what my reward was. What I found was even more than I expected. I ignored the minute details, focusing instead on the words and dates that jumped out: December 5, 2009-January 5, 2010. Los Angeles, California, Rosalie Hale for third movie in franchise.

Jane began speaking but I barely heard her. She recited a speech about how I'd _"earned this responsibility"_ and that I had _"better represent the agency well."_ If I succeeded, a promotion to executive assistant would be in order, upon my return to London.

"So you will accept, yes?" she asked at the end of her short monologue.

I nodded and answered without hesitation, "Of course!"

It wasn't until later, however, that I realized my trip abroad would fall during my favorite family time of the year: Christmas.

_Bella's POV_

_Martinis in ten? -B_

I slammed my phone shut and didn't bother to wait for an answer. I knew Rosalie was home because I saw her car in the driveway as I roared up the street in my fit of fury. After searching for my sunglasses and slamming them onto my face, I stomped across the street with the note in my hand. If it were possible, steam would have been coming out of my ears I was so angry. By the time I reached Rose's driveway, the gate was already opened for me and I could see her standing in the doorway with a martini glasses in each hand.

After more stomping, this time up the small flight of stairs to the front stoop, (an action which, in hindsight, probably made me look like a five-year-old) I wordlessly reached for the gin-based drink and downed it in one swallow before I allowed myself to exhale.

I took in Rose's snarky grin and grudgingly allowed a small smile slip over my frown.

"That bad?" Rose asked while nonchalantly swapping my empty glass for a full one.

Nodding, I glanced past her and into the house. "Is Emmett here?" I asked to make sure I wasn't interrupting anything.

"Nope," Rose said, popping the 'p' for emphasis. "Wanna come inside?" she asked before turning and walking towards the back patio without waiting for an answer. I quietly followed, saving the information I had to share for until we were settled by the pool.

Once we'd reached the comfort of the chaise lounges occupying the pool deck, I looked at Rose and could tell she was patiently waiting for me to spill the beans about my most recent break-up. Gin and story-time by the pool were two of our most time-honored traditions following a break-up or other eventful occasion that required debriefing.

"_He_ broke up with me through a note," I explained after giving myself a few minutes to gather my thoughts and take a few sips of my drink.

Rose's eyes burned red in anger, "A note? That ass, do you have it here?" she asked. I could hear the venom seep into her words.

I handed her the now-crumpled sheet of paper that had been occupying my left hand. As she read Jake's ridiculous reasons for ending our relationship, I watched her face for any sign of emotion. Surprisingly, it was completely blank. "I always kind of hated him, you know," Rose explained after handing me back the sheet.

"I know." It wasn't like she ever made an effort to hide her feelings.

"Are you okay with it, though?"

"I think so," I said truthfully. "I just...nevermind, it's silly."

Rose sat up and turned to face me. "You just, what?"

I paused before answering. "I was really looking forward to having someone to spend the holidays with. I mean, you have Emmett and Jasper, well, Jasper has his music I suppose. For once, I thought this might be my first Christmas to not be alone."

"You won't be alone, Bella, you'll have all of us," Rose said in an attempt to cheer me up.

I smiled meekly at her. "You know what I mean."

She nodded in agreement before saying softly, "I do," and falling back against her chair.

A few minutes later, she spoke again. "You could always, I don't know, go on a vacation or something. Spend some time getting to know yourself again, have a fling or two. Just take your work with you for the holidays."

_There is no way I am going somewhere for Christmas by myself_, I thought, staring into the crystal clear blue of the pool letting the gentle ripples of the water relax me slightly. I couldn't imagine sitting alone on a foreign beach with a manuscript and sunscreen to keep me company and a fling, well, a fling was out of the question.

"No," I said, shooting down her suggestion before launching into an explanation of how lame I thought people alone at resorts were.

Rose considered this for a moment before sitting up with excitement etched into her beautiful features. "I know," she began in a flurry, "you can do that home exchange thing. My friend Elise did it and said it was fabulous."

"Home exchange?"

"Yes, home exchange. All you do is put some pictures of your house on a website then pick where you want to go and trade with someone there."

"And it's legitimate?"

Another nod came my way, "completely. Elise loved it...she said she got the vacation she wanted without the nuisance of couples in love and families with children just down the hall. Come on, let's go check it out."

Before I had a chance to protest, she grabbed my hand and pulled me out my chair, dragging me up the stairs and into her office. After ordering me to sit in the chair opposite her desk, she began furiously typing. Though I didn't really pay attention, I heard her muttering things under her breath before she announced for me to come and "check it out."

"England?" I asked incredulously.

Rose scoffed. "Yes, England. This quaint, country cottage is just a half hour from London."

"There's snow there," I said, stating the obvious.

Laughter danced out of Rosalie's lips. "Correct. There are also hot British men roaming the Queen's land ripe for the plucking."

"No, no hot British men," I said in disagreement. "There will be no more "ripe plucking" for a while."

"That's what they all say," Rose muttered, clicking something on the screen and typing again. "I'm going to chat with the owner. You can sit again."

Knowing how pointless it was to argue, I obeyed her orders and retreated to my assigned seat. It was clear Rose had it made up in her mind that I would be spending the holidays on the other side of the world, so I figured I might as well begin to come to terms with it.

**

_APOV_

Second only to fashion week, the Christmas holidays were my favorite, so as soon as I returned to my office after meeting with Jane, I began to form a strategy. There was no way that I could be sane and pass up the opportunity that had been presented to me. Opportunities like this don't come around often, so they had to be snatched up. Certain aspects, however, could probably be rearranged to make the experience a bit more comfortable.

I skimmed my packet of information again until I found the section I was looking for: hotel and accommodations. Currently, it was listed that I would be staying in the Beverly Hills Hotel, a five star hotel and celebrity favorite. I knew that I shouldn't complain because comfort would be the least of my worries at the plush hotel, but I wanted something a little more...homier. Perhaps if I could find alternate accommodations that were a bit less extravagant but still magnificent then I could convince Jane to let me alter my plans.

After a thorough internet search, the option I found most intriguing was home exchange. According to the website, all I had to do was provide some personal information to ensure that I was neither a thief or a serial killer, upload photographs and a description of my home, fill in the dates I'm willing to switch, and hope that someone elses plans matched up with mine. I had to leave for LA on a flight the next day so I hoped someone was just as desperate as me.

Once the prerequisite information was complete, I decided to do a little research on Rosalie Hale as I waited. Unfortunately, I didn't have much research time as my computer made a dinging sound before I could fully type in the word 'google.'

Message from: BellaLA

It was from the home exchange website. I couldn't believe the response was so sudden. I eagerly clicked to open the message.

_BellaLA says: I must say, your home looks...delightful._

I held back a squeal; of course my home looked delightful...it is!

_MAliceC says: Thank you. I'm Alice Cullen, by the way._

_BellaLA says : Nice to meet you, Alice. I'm Bella._

_MAliceC says: It's nice to meet you, too, Bella. Are you in Los Angeles?_

_BellaLA says: Yes, well Beverly Hills to be more specific. Are you still interested in doing a home exchange for the dates listed?_

As Bella typed her response, I quickly found the photographs of her home on the website. I could tell that it was a bit smaller than mine, but that it would certainly be a better place to spend the holidays than a hotel. It didn't hurt matters that it was in Beverly Hills.

_MAliceC says: Of course, Bella! I looked at your home, it is lovely. _

_BellaLA says: Thanks, I think it's a bit smaller than yours, though. Are you sure you want to downsize?_

_MAliceC says: I promise it is exactly what I'm looking for; anything but a hotel for a month._

_BellaLA says: I'm in if you are. _

_MAliceC says: Ditto. How soon can you switch?_

I crossed my fingers and waited for Bella's answer. Please, please let her agree, I thought to myself.

_BellaLA says: Tomorrow too soon?_

_MAliceC says: Tomorrow is perfect!_

_**_

_BPOV_

"You're all set," Rose said when her typing finally stopped.

I looked up at her with wide eyes. "All set for what?"

"For England, silly," My mouth gaped and I tried really hard to come up with a reason as to why I just sat there and let her make plans for me. Usually I'm not such a pushover.

My eyes narrowed in her direction. "You didn't."

"I did," she stood and pointed at me, "Come on, we need to find you some warm clothes from my last shoot to take with you to the big, scary, snowy place."

I sighed dramatically and threw my hands into the air, knowing that the battle was lost. "When do I leave?" I called down the hallway as I stood to follow Rose towards the bedroom she had recently converted into a closet.

"Tomorrow," she yelled back in my direction. I used the sound of her voice as a locating device. Lucky for me, I found her amidst the jungle of designer clothes.

"Tomorrow?" I'm pretty sure I had screeched. "As in December 3rd tomorrow?"

Rosalie bobbed her head, her perfectly colored locks flouncing around her shoulders, as she combed through racks of jackets, pulling one every now and then she deemed was a necessity on my trip.

"British Airways flight 970 from LAX at noon," she added as if it would soften my shock.

Instead of helping, I crossed my arms over my chest, sat on one of the several cushioned stools she had scattered around the closet, and pouted. Though I knew that there was no way I was getting out of this trip, I wanted to at least make Rose think I was upset with her when, in reality, I might have been a little bit excited...as long as there were no British men waiting to sweep me off my feet.

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**Review, review, review!**

**Chapter One should be back up and even better than before within a day or so, so be on the lookout for it :)**


	2. Chapter One: Welcome to Your December

**Disclaimer: You all know the drill :)**

**Note: This is the new and improved official Chapter One, so even if you've read it before, read it again because things are a little different. **

**I hope you all enjoy it! **

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**Chapter One: Welcome to Your December**

_BPOV_

My flight from LAX to Heathrow had barely taken off before I started to wonder if I had made the right decision. Was it the right choice to let Rose send me off on this trip on such a whim? I couldn't avoid the questions that flooded my mind. What was I going to do for an entire month in a foreign country where I don't know a soul? How was I going to drive on the opposite side of the road without causing harm to myself and Alice's innocent car? And worst of all, what if I got all the way to London and Alice's house turned out to be an empty lot?

Between hours two and three of the eleven hour flight, I managed to quiet my thoughts and fall into a light slumber. I listened to Debussy, allowing the soft notes to filter through the headphones attached to the iPod Rose had given me for my birthday in September. Sleep was certainly a welcomed escape; it had been hard to come by the night prior. I had gotten less than three hours of sleep before I had to wake up and get to the airport to make it through check-in and security screenings before my flight.

The remainder of my flight was spent alternating between sleep and watching the movies available to me on the personal screen attached to my seat. Rose had upgraded my seat to first class--my Christmas gift, she had said with a smile. I complained at the time, but the moment I sat in my seat and realized I had room to extend my legs without squeezing them under the seat in front of me, I had to give the girl props. Rose sure knew how to travel in comfort.

When the pilot announced that we would be landing shortly, I felt my pulse quicken and my palms start to sweat. I suppose the reality of the situation hadn't hit me during the last eleven hours of my life. A part of me had thought that there was still time to change my mind while we were in the air; that I would be back in Beverly Hills, sipping martinis by the pool with Rose. But now, it was real. I was here until January 5th, for better or for worse.

The wheels touched down with a bump and a screech, and I reached into my purse to switch my cell back on. A quick text to Rose to tell her that I had landed safely and I knew I was on my own.

**

_APOV_

Palm trees, sunshine, and the Pacific Ocean flooded my vision as the taxi I hailed at the airport sped down the Pacific Coast Highway from LAX in the direction of Beverly Hills. California was simply perfect; so far, it was everything I had imagined and more. Why in the world, I wondered as I stared out the windows with my eyes wide in an attempt to not miss a thing, would Carlisle and Esme choose to live in stuffy, cold England when they could have lived here? January 5th, I sadly noted, would come all too soon.

By the time the taxi pulled into Bella's driveway, my little heart was about to burst with joy. As far as I could tell, her house was the only one on the street without a wrought iron fence and electric gate surrounding it. It did, however, have a certain charm to it that told me I was going to enjoy living there because it was even more adorable in person than I thought when I first saw the pictures from the website.

I practically jumped out of the taxi before it stopped moving in my eagerness to see the place. After throwing cash at the driver to cover the costs of helping with my luggage and fare, I rushed towards the front of the house in search of the key. Bella told me she left under a faux rock by the front door (a gift, she told me, from her crazy hippie mother that she hadn't used until now). I found it quickly and thrust it into the keyhole before I swung the door open, taking in the quaint décor of Bella's home.

Once inside, I quickly took inventory of my surroundings. Bella's tastes in decorating were acceptable enough, but I knew I could definitely spruce it up a bit and leave my mark on the place. I vaguely heard the driver thank me for my business, dropping my bags in the foyer, before I noticed it: the door that led out to the back patio and glistening pool. It stood directly across the house from the front door except, instead of heavy wood; it was made of thick glass. Instantly, I knew I had to be out there in the sun. Jet lag be damned, I was going to get my glow on.

**

_BPOV_

I quickly became aware of the fact that Alice's home wasn't exactly the _'country cottage'_ she labeled it as online when the driver I chartered from Heathrow pulled up out front. The cabbie slowly whistled under his breath, admiring the massive residence that stood before us. It seemed to have emerged out of nowhere. One minute we were driving through a snow blanketed forest, flanked by nothing but trees, and the next moment, a stunning mansion stood in all its glory, the fallen snow nestling nicely on the home's grand lawn.

After I picked my jaw up off the floorboards of the backseat, I couldn't stop the infectious laugh that spilled from my lips. Whether it was because I got to spend the entire month of December in a freaking mansion or because I was glad it wasn't an empty parking lot, I wasn't sure. Either way, I instantly felt better. If I was going to be forced to spend Christmas time alone, then at least I got to do it in one of the most lavish houses I'd ever seen.

After hauling my bags into what I assumed was the guest room (I couldn't really tell--all of the rooms seemed to have a king size bed and walk in closet), I took myself on a tour of the house to get acquainted. Halfway through the second floor, my stomach growled, reminding me that I hadn't eaten since the bagel I grabbed back at LAX before rushing towards my departure gate.

After a few confusing twists and turns, I finally found the kitchen and rummaged through the fridge, I found what I expected: no food. Any sane person, including myself, would clean their refrigerator out before hopping across the pond for a month.

I decided that now was as good a time as any to try my hand at driving on the opposite side of the road. I picked up the keys and the stack of maps Alice graciously left on the counter for me, and headed out in search of the garage.

I found it quickly enough, only making one wrong turn, (the garage was on the opposite side of the house than I thought it was on.) Alice should have left a map to her house considering how large it was. I clicked on the garage door opener to lift the door and waited patiently as it revealed the car I'd be using for the next month.

Inch by inch my eyes were blinded by the shiny yellow color that gleamed brilliantly when it was exposed to the sun. The car I was welcomed with had me jumping for joy like a child on Christmas. Alice owned a bright canary yellow Porsche that didn't have a single scratch on it. But that wasn't the only vehicle she owned. Resting on the other side of the garage was a silver Aston Martin draped in a sheer protective cover that screamed _DO NOT TOUCH_.

How did I get so lucky? This had to be a dream. There was no way on this planet I was lucky enough to find a person on that Home Exchange website who needed to switch in less than twenty-four hours, who willing wanted to spend their Christmas in my shabby home and trusted me with their most prized possessions. I blinked twice and slammed the door shut, semi-believing that this was some elaborate manifestation on my part. I shook my head and slowly reopened the door. Nope, both cars were still there sitting in all their shiny-goodness.

I looked down to my left hand where the keys were still being held. The nondescript key and clicker told me nothing about which car they belonged to. As I prayed that the keys belonged to the least expensive of the two, I pressed on the unlock button and waited for one of the luxury cars before me to chirp. Not even a full second later, the yellow one chirped.

I gave myself a quick pep talk, studied the maps Alice left behind to familiarize myself with the area, and climbed into the driver's seat. I sat there for a moment, the car humming with life, and tried to get over the fact of how weird it felt to be sitting on the right instead of the left side. I could sit there all afternoon, so with trepidation, I began my journey to the grocery store.

Roughly a half hour later, (It was only a fifteen minute drive but I was going about half the standard speed limit) I successfully arrived at the market. When I walked through the entrance, I was accosted with Holiday music that trickled out of the sound system throughout the bustling building.

I took my time traveling up and down each isle with a large basket in hand, savoring the rare variety of ingredients that were near impossible to find in the grocery stores back in America. Eventually I was satisfied; I found everything I might have needed for the upcoming week. Making my way towards the front of the store, I found a register with a small checkout line.

The woman in front of me, it seemed, was having a party later that evening. She had two baskets overflowing with food and she took her precious time unloading each item one at a time. Even the clerk seemed annoyed.

I rolled my eyes and let out an aggravated huff before plucking a magazine from the rack. I was flipping through it and moved to push some hair behind my ear when I looked up and saw him. My breath caught in my throat, he stood in the dairy section, holding what I believe to be provolone and cheddar cheese. My eyes followed him as he threw both cheeses into his basket and headed for the bread section.

I was lucky enough to be Living in Los Angeles, where some of the most beautiful men in the world resided and had seen countless of times. Through the years no matter how gorgeous, none of the men caught my eye, making me look twice.

But this one…this one with his bronze hair standing up in perfect disarray and chiseled jaw line caught me by complete surprise.

I had to remind myself to breathe when I heard the clerk attempt to get my attention, "Miss?"

I instantly spun around, nearly knocking over a candy stand with my clumsiness. I shook my head a couple of times to bring myself back down to reality before smiling stiffly, "Sorry." I started to unload my basket swiftly, feeling the all-tell sign of a blush creep across my cheeks.

"It's okay, dear, that 'appens all the time when he comes in," the woman said in a hushed tone while casually pointing to the man-god. "He's single, ya know."

My face had turned the same shade as the tomato I was buying, "Oh, I'm not interested. Kinda swore off men this Christmas, I'm just here to admire the scenery."

The clerk's eyebrow raised in question, "Hmm, never heard of it put that way."

I lifted my hands and waved them around in an awkward gesture and felt the need to elaborate, "No, no, not like _that_. I just- I've had a couple of bad relationships in the past and I, uh, need a break from men to, uh, regroup. Coming to London sounded like a good place to escape to."

The woman nodded in acceptance, but a smirk played on her lips.

"Hello, Ingrid," I heard from behind me, a voice of pure velvet combined with a British accent that made my knees quake like jello.

The voice, I realized after a quick look over my shoulder, matched the face I knew it would. I squeezed my eyes shut and quickly turned back around to face the clerk. It was a good thing I was paying with cash, because as soon as I laid down enough money I booked it out of there grabbing my bags, practically running to the car.

It was very apparent that the man heard our entire conversation. He gave it away with his smug grin and the way he alerted us to his presence.

As I scurried away from the market with my bags clutched tightly to my sides and my purse tossed carelessly over my shoulder, I had high hopes of making a quick and uneventful journey home that was free of British men that took my breath away and market clerks that found joy in making me blush all the way down to the tips of my toes.

My hope lasted an entire minute before it crumbled to pieces like a poorly-made cookie in the hands of a sugar-loving child.

After carelessly tossing my cloth bags full of delicious cheeses, vegetables, and other necessities into the trunk of Alice's car, I slid into the driver's side as quickly as humanly possible and fumbled with the keys

_'Why is the key not going into the ignition?'_ I thought, huffing as I set aside the map I was skimming and turned to face the problem before me with an annoyed frown on my face. _"Oh."_

Apparently, somewhere between shutting the trunk on my food and entering the bright yellow car, I failed to remember the fact that I was in an unfamiliar land with customs opposed to the ones I was instinctively trained to follow. I was sitting on the passenger side.

Taking a few calming breaths to relax myself (already this outing had proven to be full of stress-inducing moments), I chanced a look through the windshield that was slowly being covered with fluffy, white snowflakes to see if I had an audience. So far, so good. I knew, though, that this needed to be quick. Out, around, and back in. Market Hottie (I gave him the name during my mad dash to the car) would surely be returning to his car at any moment and I didn't want any witnesses to my American mistake.

One last deep breath in, and I swung the door open and climbed out, left furry boot first. In keeping with the tradition of failure that I had going on for the day, disaster struck as I rounded the front of the car.

At least I was consistent.

When it happened I could literally see the finish line, my fingers were only inches from the handle to the driver's side door, and a triumphant feeling filled my soul. What I didn't calculate for was the gaping pothole that I had gracefully managed to avoid as I entered the market and its apparent magnetic connection with my right foot. Mere seconds later I was draped over the hood of the car, my left hand grasping at the side mirror and my right hand searching for something to hold onto that would keep me from making even more of a fool of myself.

I clung to the hood of the car like it was a life preserver and I was floating in the middle of the ocean after the boat carrying me crashed into an iceberg. I suppose it made sense that I was attempting to channel Kate Winslet, circa _Titanic_, since I was in her native land. Regardless, I was confident that the afternoon really couldn't get much worse that it already had when I was, for the second time in less than ten minutes, proven wrong.

"Are you alright, miss?" It was _the _voice; the one that belonged to the Market Hottie.

_'So much for a sly maneuver around the car',_ I thought to myself as I heard his approaching footsteps crunch in the snow.

I shook my head back and forth in an effort to tell him that I was fine. He didn't read my body language, instead taking it as a sign to come closer and offer me some assistance. One arm, then another, wrapped around my waist and, before I could really comprehend what was happening, I found myself back on solid ground thanks to Market Hottie himself.

"Thank you," I finally managed to mumble before turning around to look my savior in the eye. Outside, with the snow falling into his messy hair, he was even more breathtaking than I originally thought. I knew that I needed to make tracks fast.

He nodded in acceptance of my thanks, a small smirk playing on his too-kissable lips.

"I should, uh, probably be going. I'm not used to the, uh, snow and driving on the left side of the road and, uh, everything." Somehow, I was successful at getting all of my thoughts out, though it was unclear whether or not he understood what it was I was trying to say due to the general struggle of it all; it barely even made sense to me.

Thank God he seemed to have suddenly contracted a rare disease rendering him mute as he only nodded again following my statement, shot me a mouthwatering smile, and turned on his heel before strutting towards his silver Volvo because if I had been forced to carry on a conversation, I might have feigned a mysterious deafness just to get out of what I'm sure would be an awkward situation.

I needed a drink.

**

_APOV _

I was halfway through the December issue of American Vogue when I heard an annoying buzz from inside the house, almost like there was a bee the size of a Smartcar buzzing around. I hoped that I didn't set off some sort of delayed alarm. I tossed my magazine onto the small table resting next to the chaise lounge I was reclining on and stood to find the source of the noise.

Once inside, I realized that the buzzing wasn't an alarm, thank God, but instead the doorbell. I quickly hopped over to the front door and, without checking through the peephole to see who might be soliciting my time, I swung open the door. Instantly, I regretted the fact that I hadn't thrown a towel, or at least a sheer cover-up, over myself before opening myself up to guests.

"Hello, little one," the large man in front of me said with an infectious grin. He stood at least a foot and a half taller than me and was dressed in a pair of swim trunks and a t-shirt that said something about stunts.

I found myself smiling back at him. "I'm Emmett," he continued his explanation as he pointed to the other side of the road, "from across the street."

"Oh, Bella didn't mention any neighbors that she knew, but I have a good feeling about you, Emmett. I'm Alice," I said truthfully as I introduced myself to the stranger from across the street. My feelings had never led me astray, so I wasn't worried that the man could easily take me out if he wanted to.

He grinned and dimples formed in his cheeks. "Bella wanted me to come over and welcome you to the neighborhood, she said you might want to have a friend or two while you're over here," he boomed in explanation.

"That was so nice of her! Would you like to come in?" I asked with a toothy grin as I thought about the fact that maybe I should have told Edward, or maybe one of my friends from work, to check in with Bella to make sure she had settled in well. I made a mental note to do that later.

Emmett shook his head back and forth. "No thanks, I've gotta get back across the street before my fiancée, Rose, gets there and has my head on platter for not having a drink waiting. She's always a little tense after photo shoots."

"Does she live with you?" I was intrigued by the prospect of two Los Angeles friends that had practically been handed to me on a silver platter.

This time, he nodded. "Technically, I live with her. But yes, we live together." Suddenly, his face lit up like a Christmas tree. "Alice, you should come over for dinner soon! How does tomorrow night sound? I'm pretty certain Rose doesn't have anything to do, and we can invite her brother Japser..." He trailed on with his out loud thinking about what they could order in to eat and how we could play board games. It was like watching a kid get excited about his birthday or a new toy.

I smiled at him and nodded before reaching out to touch his arm to stop his rambling. "Sounds great, Emmett. Should I come over around 7?"

"Seven should work, if you don't hear otherwise I'll see you then, little one," he said before turning and jogging across the street to where he came from.

As I watched him type in the code to open the gate to the sprawling house that rested beyond it, I grinned to myself. Maybe, if Emmett's fiancé and her brother were as nice as he was, then LA wouldn't be such a terrible place to spend the holidays after all.

* * *

**So, how about some reviews? Come on ladies, I know you can come up with some feedback and I can't wait to hear it! **

**Also, a shout out to by beta, lovingangels07. If you haven't checked her story out yet, please do! It's titled Risky Business and it's great! **

**Up next: More Bella and Edward and Alice meets Jasper!  
**


	3. Chapter Two: You're In

**Author's Note: Once again, thank you all who have alerted and reviewed the story so far! It makes me smile to know you are all enjoying it :) **

**Disclaimer: Same as before. **

**SHOUTOUT: To my lovely beta, lovingangels07. Are you reading her story yet?! You should be! **

**Also, to check out Alice's outfit, click the link on my profile. I'm thinking about doing that for some of the chapters if you all are interested in them. Yes or no?**

**Now, without further ado, ENJOY! **

* * *

**Chapter Two: You're In**

_BPOV_

There was no dancing around it, I was drunk within an hour and a half of arriving back at Alice's following my trip to the market.

True, the excessive drinking was a bit of an overreaction to my two, small embarrassing moments, but I was jet lagged and I was probably still blushing and I really just didn't care. I figured I would never see Market Hottie again, but it didn't stop me from drowning my red cheeks in liquor.

By nothing short of a miracle, I managed to start a fire in the breathtaking fireplace occupying the living room and settled in front of it, my gin and tonic in one hand and the remote control to the large flat screen in the other.

Somewhere between drinks three and four I heard a doorbell ring. Not bothering to locate the source, I simply shrugged and assumed it was a noise coming from the television; the awkward characters were always coming and going at inappropriate times.

My ears perked up when I heard what sounded like a key twisting in a lock. Definitely not the television, I quickly told myself. My gin-clouded brain was unable to form a plan of attack for my intruder, so instead, I sat there on the couch dumbly waiting for the person to find me. After all, if they had a key, surely they were harmless.

"Al? You in here?" I heard the voice say from somewhere near the front hall as it echoed off the high ceilings.

_'Wait,' _Ithought suddenly, I knew that voice from somewhere. _'That voice...oh, shit.'_

Within seconds I had scrambled off the couch and ran across the hardwood floors at a breakneck speed. _'What the hell is_he_doing here?'_

I skidded to a stop, courtesy of my soft lounge socks, right in front of Market Hottie himself.

"You're not Alice," he stated, his deep velvety voice too close to me for my sanity to remain intact. I took a step back to gather my wits about myself.

"Good deduction, Sherlock. Who are you?" In an attempt at acting like I belonged in this mansion, I crossed my arms over my chest and jutted my right hip to the side.

"Edward Cullen," he answered in a snotty tone while crossing his arms across his chest to mirror my actions.

I wanted him to explain himself first, to divulge his identity and the reason for why he had a key to the front door before I did, so I narrowed my eyes at him and waited.

He did the same and we found ourselves in a mental battle of wills. If he wanted answers, I was going to make him work for them.

I broke first, of course. "Isabella Swan," I said, because he doesn't get to call me Bella yet, "would you like to tell me why you have a key to the front door?"

A loud sigh fell from his lips. "Isabella," he sneered my name, "this is my sister's house. Where is Alice?"

"Alice is in Los Angeles," I blurted out quickly. So much for making him work for answers…

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion and a frown formed on his perfectly shaped lips. "Los Angeles?"

"Yes, Los Angeles. Now, if you will excuse me, I have a very important, um, television show that you rudely interrupted," I hissed before I turned and marched back into the living room where a plush leather couch awaited, beckoning me to curl back into it. I was annoyed that Alice's brother thought that he could walk into her house and act like he owned the place. It was the gin's fault that I suddenly claimed so much ownership to a place I was technically renting for a month.

Edward didn't follow me and I didn't expect him to, rather, he stalked off in the direction of the garage, mumbling something incoherent under his breath. I did catch something along the lines of, "stupid sister," though. Within seconds, I heard one of the garage doors open followed by the distinct chirp of a car being unlocked. I tried to listen for clues that would alert me to his next move, but he had angrily slammed the door behind him with a loud bang, leaving only the slap-stick characters on the television to fill the room.

So, of course I had to investigate. Like before, I pulled myself up off the couch and slipped and slid across the slick wood floors. I was channeling _Risky Business_, Tom Cruise style. Upon reaching the garage, I peeked through the small window in the top of the door to see what Market Hot--, uh, Edward, was up to in there. What I saw infuriated me.

Edward had removed the covering from the Aston Martin and deposited it carelessly onto the floor like leftover wrapping paper on Christmas morning. I knew he was Alice's brother and all, but who the hell did he think he was driving off in her car like it was his own?

I huffed as I abruptly swung open the door and strode into the garage, marching over to the door to try and see and what it was he was up to. My efforts were in vain; he had already sped around the corner and out of eyesight, his Volvo sitting idly in the driveway. Ass.

**

Two hours later, I was starting to nod off at the early hour of eight o'clock when I heard the garage door slide shut as it announced Edward's return. Though he looked like a Greek god and I wouldn't mind seeing his beauty one more time up close, I also hoped that he would make a hasty exit because I was exhausted and not in the mood for his touchy attitude.

I was contemplating how he could go from being my savior in the parking lot at the market to such a complete jerk within the span of two hours, when suddenly he was standing before me with a frown etched on his perfectly structured face.

"Isabella," he said in a tone that sounded similar to the one Emmett used when he had a reason to grovel at Rose's feet.

I nodded slightly, directing him to continue. "I actually came inside to apologize. My actions earlier were...rude and rash. It's just, the news that Alice was spending the holidays away was a bit of a shock and I took it out on you. I have since talked with my family and understand that she would have been crazy to pass by the opportunity before her. I hope we can move forward from here."

He spoke like a robot, almost as if he was from another century, being brought up during the time of lords and ladies instead of bros and hoes. And even though his statement seemed rehearsed and formal, it was endearing and I found myself fighting a smile, but I was able to resist it as I recalled his commandeering of Alice's beautiful, silver car.

"You aren't buying it," he said, reading my eyes and my arms that were folded across my chest for the second time in the day.

I shook my head back and forth. "Nope."

"Why not?"

I glared at him. "I can't believe you just came in here, like you practically owned the place, and drove off in Alice's car. How was I supposed to even know who you were? For all I know, you could have been a thief or a serial killer," my words were angry and with each passing syllable my pitch increased.

He let out a long breath before answering. "First, I already apologized for my rudeness. In my defense, Alice did not inform me that you would be here. Second, the car is mine."

"Yours?"

"Mine. My dear sister allows me to keep it here because there isn't room for it on the street near my flat in London," he explained.

"Huh," I said as I pretended to be contemplating his answer. Really, though, I was taking in the smile that was beginning to form at the corner of his lips as he spoke of his car.

He then extended his hand as a peace offering. "Shall we start over?"

I nodded as I firmly shook his hand and released it, ignoring the warmth of it as I did. "Yes. I'm Bella, staying here for the remainder of December while your sister, Alice, is in Los Angeles furthering her career," I hoped that my tone was as formal as his earlier.

He grinned. "And I am Edward; complete ass a lot of the time, but a dear brother to my sister," he paused. "Wait, Bella?"

I blushed, realizing my mistake. I had already broken down and given him my nickname. "Yes, my friends call me Bella."

"Am I your friend now?" He was smirking and his emerald eyes were twinkling.

"I suppose you are," I said between my teeth and his smirk slid into a smile. "But only because you are the only person I know in this country."

"Fair enough," he conceded. "As much as I am enjoying this moment, Bella, I have to go pick, uh, something up."

I nodded. By something, I'm sure he meant girlfriend or wife. Left hand check told me girlfriend. "Okay."

He mirrored my nod, "Okay," and turned, "See you around, _Bella_." He emphasized my name in a taunting tone, gloating his victory.

My left hand lifted and I waved. "See you," I said to his retreating figure as I watched him disappear into the darkness of the home.

**

_APOV_

After my inaugural trip to Rodeo Drive, I returned to Bella's house with the perfect Zac Posen dress in a garment bag draped over my arm for the dinner that Emmett had invited me to. In London, I would have never dreamed of going shopping for an entire afternoon for a simple dinner in, but I knew that in Los Angeles it would be different. People had impressions to make everywhere they went and, judging by the sprawling nature of the house Emmett shared with his fiancé, she would be dressed to the nines.

I took my time getting ready, curling my normally spiked-out hair under into a more sophisticated look before carefully climbing into the sparkling magenta cocktail dress and sliding on my favorite nude Christian Louboutin pumps onto my tiny feet. My make-up had been completed for at least an hour.

By a quarter to seven, I was ready to go. After I decided that I would rather be a few minutes early than a few minutes late, I grabbed my clutch and Bella's house key before skipping across the street to the mansion Emmett had disappeared behind the gates of yesterday.

When I reached the gate, I pressed the intercom button to announce myself.

"Hello, little one! Glad you could make it. Come on in," he said as the gates began to swing open before me.

I took a deep breath and pranced up the driveway with a smile on my face before I reached the large wooden door and rang the doorbell.

"Jazz, can you get that?" I heard someone say from inside and I waited.

When the door opened, I had a hard time focusing on the beauty of the house behind the door because the man in front of me stole the show. From top to bottom, on the surface, he was my dream: Stylish clothing, beautiful sparkling blue eyes, and messy dirty-blond curls.

I finished my not-so-secret perusal and chanced a look into his eyes. He seemed to be a little dazed as well.

"I'm Alice," I said to break the spell, extending my small hand towards him. "Emmett invited me for dinner."

He nodded, still silent, before shaking his head back and forth in what looked like an attempt to clear his thoughts before grasping my hand is his. Sparks, for sure. "I'm Jasper, Rosalie's brother."

I grinned at him and forced myself not to bounce. It was a problem and sometimes freaked people out a little bit.

Somehow we had both slipped back under the spell and we were dreamily staring at each other when a blond figure that I couldn't focus on due to the man in front of me stopped and said, "Invite her in, ass."

That brought Jasper back to Earth. "I'm sorry. Come in, Alice. This is my sister, Rosalie," he said, pointing to the bombshell behind him.

My eyes widened and I was speechless. Rosalie wasn't just any Rosalie. She was Rosalie Hale, Hollywood starlet and the woman I was set to start styling in three days.

I knew now wasn't the time to announce my reason for being in LA, so I waited.

"I'm Alice," I said when my voice came back to me.

Rosalie smiled softly. "Rosalie. It's nice to meet the girl that's staying at Bella's."

"Thanks," I said and, Lord help me, I bounced a little. Whatever, she should probably get used to it if she's going to be around me when shipments come in from Chanel and Dior.

She walked off, leaving Jasper and me standing in the foyer alone. "Come on," he said with a nod towards what I assumed was the kitchen. "Emmett's plating the food."

I laughed at the statement. Of course Emmett would be plating the food; I'm sure Rosalie was standing in the kitchen looking like a statue and ordering him around. I had heard of her demanding ways in Hollywood and I didn't doubt for a minute they didn't extend to her personal life as well.

Upon reaching the kitchen, I inwardly congratulated myself for being right. Emmett was scooping pasta from boxes onto porcelain plates while Rosalie teetered around, occasionally filling a wine glass while she gave him directions. He grinned and did as he was told, clearly head over heels for the woman. It was precious, actually.

"Little one, you look hot," Emmett said with a sly grin from where he was standing. Rosalie glared at him for a bit, but the playful look on his face let everyone know he was kidding.

"Thanks, big man," I shot back at him.

I watched as Jasper glided over to where Rosalie stood, her golden locks glowing like the sun, and grabbed a pair of wine glasses before coming to stand at my side and hand me one. I shot him a smile in thanks.

"Let's eat!" Emmett announced once the all of the food had been successfully transferred. He grabbed a serving dish in each hand and we followed him into the dining room.

Rosalie and Emmett sat on one side of the large wooden table while Jasper and I took the other. After the food was served, we fell into an easy conversation discussing our jobs and our lives and everything in between; some of the talk was appropriate for the dinner table and some wasn't, but no one seemed to care. I told Rosalie my reason for coming to Los Angeles and she smiled broadly before telling me she was glad and could tell I had excellent style based on my shoes and dress. I beamed.

It was surprising to me how easily everything fell together over the course of the delicious meal; it was as if we were long lost friends catching up after years apart. It just fit and I was happy.

As dinner wound down, I noticed that the conversation had shifted. Rosalie and Emmett slowly retreated into their own world, while Jasper and I got to know each other a little better. Suddenly, it was clear that the engaged couple needed some space.

Jasper leaned over and whispered in my ear, "Come on. I'll walk you home." Chills shot down my spine as his breath tickled my ear.

I nodded and turned to Rosalie and Emmett. "I should be going," I said in opening. "Thank you for a delicious dinner." I sat my napkin on the table next to my plate.

They both nodded and grinned. "It was fun, Alice. I'll see you next week?"

"Of course. See ya, big one," I said in Emmett's direction.

He extended a fist in my direction which I met across the table. "Later, little one."

"I'm going to make sure she gets home alright," Jasper said to them as he stood and extended a courteous hand in my direction. I grabbed it and allowed him to pull me to my feet.

Rosalie full on beamed. "Take care of her; she has to dress me, Jazz."

He winked at her. "I will. See you guys later."

Jasper turned and I followed him, my small hand still in his large, warm one.

"Bye!" Their voices echoed behind us before I heard Rosalie speak again. "Oh, and Alice? Just call me Rose," she said.

I looked to Jasper, surprised. He leaned close and whispered into my ear, "You're in."

"I am?"

He nodded. "Rose only allows people to call her something other than Rosalie or Miss Hale if she likes them. Thus, you're in."

I chuckled. "I'm in," I whispered in amazement under my breath as Jasper beamed in my direction.

As we walked through the immaculately decorated house and towards the front door, Jasper removed my hand from his to shift it into the crook of his elbow. I looked up at him and grinned broadly.

"Thanks for walking me home," I said in a small voice as we stepped outside. I was amazed that it was still so warm in December; I loved it.

"It's not a problem, ma'am," he said like a true gentleman. I swooned and we dashed across the empty street and onto Bella's driveway.

Too soon for my liking, we arrived on Bella's doorstep. I wanted desperately to invite him in, but I didn't want to rush him and he seemed like a 'take it slow' kind of guy. By now, we were turned to face each other, both of our gazes on our feet. We were stalling.

I took a chance. "Do you want to come in for coffee or something?" My voice was hopeful yet cautious.

He looked up and me and nodded. "I'd like that."

"Me too," I said while fishing the key out of my tiny clutch before unlocking the door and opening it.

Jasper didn't need a tour; he knew the layout of the house better than I did, I realized. We made it into the kitchen/bar area and I stopped, a little unsure of myself. Sometimes I wished I had a sixth sense about the future.

"I really don't know what Bella has in here. Anything you prefer?" I asked while digging beneath the wet bar.

Jasper squatted down beside me. "Coffee sounds great, actually," he said as he sent me a toothy grin.

Coffee was exactly what I had wanted.

"Do you know where the coffee maker is?" I asked once I was back on my feet and floated into the kitchen.

Jasper ducked in front of me and headed in the direction of the cabinet next to the oven. I watched, drooling a little as he bent over and retrieved the coffee maker. Unable to offer anything to the process, I satisfied myself by hopping onto the counter and watching him maneuver around the kitchen. When the coffee had begun to brew, he joined me.

"You'll all very close," I commented, referring to the relationship between him, Rose, and Bella, as I broke the comfortable silence that had settled around us.

He nodded and grinned wistfully. "We are. Bella is like our sister."

"Did you all meet in LA?" I was amazed, and jealous, that such a strong bond could be formed in a place that I had always heard of as being shallow.

He shook his head back and forth, a few strands of hair falling into his eyes. "Actually, we've known each other for as long as we can remember. Rosalie and I are twins, though you can't tell from our looks, and we met Bella on the first day of kindergarten. We've been inseparable ever since." His eyes lit up as he spoke of his friends.

"Wow."

He nodded. "It was a nice way to grow up...most of the time."

"Most of the time?" I asked because, really, it seemed like a great way to grow up all of the time. I was actually a bit jealous…again; the only lifelong friend I had was Edward, and he was forced into it by the fact that we shared DNA.

He blushed a little and I grinned at how adorable he was. "It made dating difficult. Having two sisters to pick apart all of your dates," he admitted.

"Poor Jasper, I'm sure you've had such trouble finding a suitable girl," I said sarcastically, elbowing him gently in the side so that he knew I was joking.

He shrugged, but didn't answer so I dropped it.

"So, you and Bella never..."

"No, Bella and I never. Ew, Alice, that's like my sister," he feigned disgust and annoyance as I hopped off the counter to grab mugs for our coffee; it was the least I could do after he prepared it all.

I shrugged as I poured the warm liquid. "Just curious." Really, I wanted to know if he was available. So far, he seemed to be.

"But you _really_ never dated?" I asked, handing him his mug as I did.

"I dated, but never anything serious; no girl ever made it through the double edged sword that was Bella and Rose," he chuckled as he spoke.

"I'm sure you didn't make it any easier on the men, either," I shared my assumption.

"I've been hell on every man that pair has brought home until, well, Emmett. I guess I could tell he was a big softy from the time I met him; he seems to really care about Rose."

"He does," I agreed as I climbed back onto the counter.

Our conversation continued as we shared our lives with each other. He shared more stories about having two 'sisters' and I enlightened him on the joys of living with Edward Cullen, the boy every girl wanted to date, using me as a stepping stone on the way to him. Jasper could understand this, having been a stepping stone to Rose or Bella multiple times. Like the dinner with Rose and Em earlier, everything seemed to click. Three hours flew by without either of us noticing.

By midnight, I had started to get tired, though, and the coffee wasn't helping. I yawned loudly, unable to stop myself.

Jasper noticed. "I should probably go," he said with a small frown as he hopped off the counter we had been perched on all evening. We hadn't bothered to change location as we were too caught up in our conversation.

I nodded. "I had fun," I said as we slowly walked towards the door, still putting off the end of the night.

"Alice," Jasper asked as we stood in the doorway. "Is it okay if I call you sometime? I mean, it seems as if you've gained Rose's approval," he joked.

I beamed. "Yes," I answered without hesitation.

Jasper smirked before he reached for my left hand and brought it to his lips, kissing my knuckles. "I'll see you, Alice," he said before turning to hop down the steps.

As I watched him cross the street, I bounced up and down and listened to his happy whistle.

* * *

Reviews are better than sneaking around on Edward, _Risky Business_ style :)


	4. Chapter Three: Lights Out

**MERRY CHRISTMAS, y'all! I hope you had a day filled with good food, family, and fun presents.  
**

**Disclaimer: You know these cutie pies aren't mine :) **

**Also, no Alice and Jasper in this chapter...the next chapter will be mainly B and E as well, but I promise you A and J fans that their will be some of their cuteness headed your way after that, as well as some shenanigans with Rose and Emmett. **

**Thanks, lovingangels07 (my lovely beta...READ HER STORY) and everyone else that has story alerted and reviewed!  
**

* * *

**Chapter Three: Lights Out  
**

_BPOV_

When I woke up the next morning, I had a new and vicious enemy: jet lag. It, and the gin, had lulled me to sleep the night before and woken me before the sun had risen.

I knew I should have expected to wake up at the crack of dawn when I fell asleep at nine o'clock the night before, something I haven't done since the third grade, but somewhere between Edward and the gin, the thought must have slipped my mind. Imagine that. Mornings and I had never gotten along, and this particular one was no exception. With the cold air and a hangover rearing its ugly head in the form of a headache, I was not a happy camper.

After I decided that falling asleep again was not an option, I threw the covers of Alice's cloud-like bed to the side and rolled over until I was close enough to the edge to swing my legs over and stand up.

It was freezing, so freezing that there was a good possibility that I was colder than I had ever been before (though that isn't saying much--I had never ventured farther to the north than Las Vegas until now). I didn't like it at all. A quick glance out the window told me that more snow had fallen overnight and the frostiness of the hardwood floor told me that the temperature had as well.

The only remedy to help me deal with the fact that I was awake and freezing before seven a.m. was to turn up the heat and jump into the shower. After turning up the thermostat, I booked it to the bathroom and waited impatiently for the water to heat up before allowing the deliciously warm spray envelope me, the water beating my skin, chasing away the chill deep in my bones.

Once I was sufficiently warmed and my skin was pink, I hopped out of the shower and into the fluffy white robe that I found on the back of the door, choosing to leave my hair down after I de-tangled it with a comb. Now, coffee. I needed coffee as soon as possible.

As I waited for the dark brown liquid to brew, I popped open my laptop to skim through my e-mails. The first few were from clothing stores I frequented, listing their most recent deals and savings and the rest were work-related. I decided to save them for later. Done with my laptop for the day, I was in the process of shutting down programs when I heard the distinct ping of my instant message.

_New Message from: HollywoodHale._

I laughed out loud like I do every time I see the screenname that Rosalie penned before we made the big move to LA. Checking my watch before her message, I found that it was seven a.m. here which meant it was midnight in LA. Worked for me.

_HollywoodHale says: I believe that a thank you is in order._

_BellaLA says: What for?_

_HollywoodHale says: For going to London, of course, and sending us dear Alice._

_BellaLA says: Dear Alice? You hate other women, Rose._

_HollywoodHale says: Not Alice, I think she might be a good match for Jasper._

_BellaLA says: A good match? Who are you, eHarmony?_

_HollywoodHale says: Ha. ha. No, I am not, but you should have seen it, Bells. They were making goo-goo eyes before they made it through the front door._

_BellaLA says: Goo-goo eyes? Jasper?_

_HollywoodHale says: Yes, goo-goo eyes._

_BellaLA says: Interesting._

_BellaLA says: So, she's cool then? Safe in my house? Give 'em to me._

_HollywoodHale says: Stylish, pixie, and friendly._

I laughed out loud at Rose's explanation of Alice, almost spewing my coffee all over the screen of my MacBook. We have this tradition of sorts where, whenever we meet a new person of interest, we describe them to the other in three words. For example, when Rose met Emmett a couple of months ago, she chose sexy, muscular, and teddy-bear. It's always worked for us.

_HollywoodHale says: Oh, and she's the stylist that Jane Luke sent for my shoot. Small world, huh?_

_BellaLA says: Small world, indeed. So, Jasper?_

_HollywoodHale says: Walked her home last night and came back with stars and rainbows in his eyes._

_BellaLA says: Nice._

_HollywoodHale says: Very. And I approve, so it's kind of a big deal._

_BellaLA says: You let her call you Rose, didn't you?_

_HollywoodHale says: How did you know?_

_BellaLA says: Lucky guess._

_HollywoodHale says: Ha. How is the UK?_

_BellaLA says: Freezing._

_HollywoodHale says: Gross. Any hot British men yet?_

_BellaLA says: I met Alice's brother and he's definitely easy on the eyes but I'm sure he's taken...and kind of an ass._

_HollywoodHale says: Too bad. Maybe he'll prove you wrong._

_BellaLA says: We'll see. In other news, it snowed last night._

_HollywoodHale says: Snow? As in real snow?_

_BellaLA says: As in real snow. It's even more beautiful than the fake stuff they spray around LA this time of year, haha._

I clicked the send button when suddenly I heard a strange popping sound and watched as every light in the house flickered off.

Message unable to send. Check connection.

_'Well, shit,'_ I thought as I took in my surroundings. I was momentarily frozen and unable to think of what to do next. First, I decided to text Rosalie and let her know I was fine, just a little power outage that took my internet connection.

Oh, who was I kidding? Just a little power outage? It was freezing outside and this house was huge. I knew I had to stay warm, so I hurried into the living room from my post at the kitchen table and lit the fire; funny, it was a lot easier to light sober than under a haze of gin and embarrassment.

And then, I wasn't sure what to do. I didn't know if the power was out all over area or if it was just Alice's house. A heavy branch could have broken from a tree and hit a power line, or an entire pole could have fallen, blanketing the entire area in darkness. I didn't even allow myself to think of the horror movies I had watched where the villain cut off the power and phone lines to ensure that his victim wouldn't be able to reach safety. My main fear was that Alice's was the only house without power and that no one would realize it because I didn't know how to contact the power company and report the problem.

Suddenly I remembered that Alice had taped a list of emergency numbers on the refrigerator 'just in case.' When I saw them the night prior while I unloaded my groceries I had hoped to never have to use them. I should have knocked on wood or something, knowing my luck.

I skimmed the list once I reached the kitchen. Hospital, Fire Department, Police (_weren't these all together in America?_), Carlisle and Esme (_whoever they were_), Poison Control (_really, Alice_?), Edward, and, finally, Cable and Internet. Of course, no power company. I decided against the first three unless I got really desperate. Carlisle and Esme were out because I had never even heard of them; I assumed they were her married friends or something. Poison control wouldn't help me unless I went insane and decided to eat a hand warmer to keep my internal organs from icing over. Edward, well, I'm sure he would just love to rush to my help. Not. And finally, cable and internet were both useless without electricity.

Sighing loudly, I turned on my heel and slowly walked back to the living room to deposit myself in front of the fire. On the way, I grabbed a novel off the bookshelf to occupy myself while hoping that the power would come back on before it got any colder outside.

Halfway through the novel, I noticed that my teeth were starting to chatter and my toes were a bit numb. The temperature had definitely starting to drop and there was no sign of the power returning anytime soon. As I scooted closer to the fire, I contemplated my options.

I could call the police and let them think I was crazy and send over an ambulance to get me to a warm place. Or I could call whoever Carlisle and Esme were, but they had names that intimidated me a little and I wasn't eager to head down that route. The only other feasible option was, unfortunately, Edward.

_'Maybe I can just call him to see if the power is out everywhere,'_ I thought to myself. '_The worst that can happen is he'll laugh at me and say no, leaving me to freeze.'_

After locating my cell phone, I dialed the number on the refrigerator, and for some reason there were butterflies in my stomach. It rang twice before a confused Edward picked up.

"Hello?"

"Um, Edward this is, uh, Bella. I'm staying at Alice's?" Whoa. When did my voice become so meek and pitiful? What happened to the confident Bella from last night?

"Bella? Is everything all right?" He asked and I was glad (and a little surprised) that he remembered who I was.

I nodded to myself before answering. "Yes. No. I'm not really sure."

"What's wrong?"

"I just, I wanted to know if the power is out everywhere because its out here and Alice has your number on the refrigerator and," I stopped when I realized I was rambling and not making sense.

"The power is out?" He sounded worried.

"Yes, and Alice didn't leave a number for me to call the company."

I heard as Edward sighed, almost like he was forming a plan as he did. "Bella, I'll be over there in a half hour. I'll call the company on the way; I just have to drop something off first. Will you be ok?"

"No, no you don't have to come. I'll be fine, just call the power company," I protested because I didn't want him to drive all the way here from London because of me and a little lack of electricity

"I'm coming over there, Bella. Just hold tight, okay?"

I nodded, finally giving in to his help. "Okay," I answered before he hung up.

Twenty four minutes later, I sat up a little bit straighter when I heard the front door open.

"Bella?" Edward called from the front hall, much like he had the night before.

This time I didn't rush towards him. Instead, I called him to me. "In here." I announced from my perch in front of the fire.

Within seconds, Edward was crouched in front of me, the back of his hand testing the temperature on my forehead tenderly.

"You're freezing, Bella," he said in a straightforward tone as his voice filled with concern.

I shrugged; tell me something I don't know. "Is the power out everywhere?"

He nodded. "All over. I called the power company and they said it should be on within an hour or two." As he spoke, he stood and walked over to the cabinets surrounding the fireplace and retrieved a stack of blankets from one of them.

"Let's get you warm," he said, walking back in my direction as he began to layer blanket after blanket across my shoulders and legs.

I looked up at him and grinned, the warmth of his closeness already making my temperature rise. "Thanks," I managed to say.

He shot me a confident grin. "I brought you coffee," he announced before reaching to the bag I hadn't noticed before and pulling out a thermos.

"My hero," I stated dryly with a hint of teasing.

He chuckled. "I do believe this is the second time I've saved you, Miss Swan. The parking lot?"

"Don't remind me," I buried my face in the folds of the blankets when I felt my face flushing; I had secretly been hoping he would choose to forget that encounter.

"I thought it was cute," he offered with a shrug.

"Cute? Edward, I fell after getting into the wrong side of a Porsche."

His shoulders were shaking with laughter. "You did, and it was endearing."

I huffed. "I'm glad you enjoyed it," I said, maintaining my sarcasm.

"How's the coffee?" Thank God he dropped the subject.

"Great," I let a begrudging smile grace my lips.

"Good."

By now, Edward had finally settled down and was sitting a few inches from me on the floor, his back against the couch and his legs extended in front of him toward the fire. He rested his head back against the cushions of the couch with his eyes closed and, for the first time since his arrival, I noticed the dark circles under his eyes. The man was exhausted.

I turned to face him. "Edward, I'm fine now, if you want to go," I offered because really, I was.

He shook his head back and forth but didn't open his eyes. "It's okay, Bella, really."

"Are you sure? Nowhere else you need to be tonight?" _With a girlfriend, perhaps?_

"Not tonight," he said with a small grin.

"Okay," I finally conceded before sliding backwards a bit to echo his position against the couch. It looked comfortable and suddenly my back felt stiff.

We sat silently for a few moments, enjoying the warmth and relaxation, before Edward spoke again.

"What do you, Bella? In LA?" he asked without opening his eyes.

I sat up straighter with the mention of my job because, well, I adore it. "I'm an editor. Mainly historical fiction, but sometimes I take on the occasional teen drama or chick lit."

"Historical fiction and teenage drama. Quite the combination," he commented with a chuckle, his eyes opening and finding mine. The shade of green completely threw me off; I had never, in my life, seen a color that was comparable to them.

I giggled. "Imagine a historical teenage drama."

"I don't want to," he admitted. "Which do you prefer?"

"For business or pleasure?" I asked for clarification.

"Both."

I didn't even have to think before answering. "For business, I prefer the historical drama that can truly make me feel like I'm living in the time; that truly makes me feel present. For pleasure, I prefer the classics."

"Fascinating."

I had no clue what he was referring to. "What?"

He grinned at me. "A beauty and a brain."

I blushed and decided to give him a quiz as well. "What is it you do?"

"I'm a doctor," he answered with a nonchalant shrug. "On the pediatric floor at a hospital in London."

"Do you enjoy it?" I asked because, really, that was all the mattered. I'm a firm believer in the

'love what you do' theory.

His eyes twinkled. "I do. My father always wanted me to follow in his footsteps into the medical field, so I did. He chose surgery, but I chose pediatrics after I did my residency at a children's hospital in Oxford," he said, finishing with a happy smile.

When he spoke of his job, he looked like a giddy schoolgirl talking about her crush. It was adorable and it was sexy and I found myself hoping he didn't have a girlfriend.

"So your parents are supportive?"

He nodded. "They are. At first Carlisle was a bit angry that I didn't follow him into surgery, but my mother helped him through it," he chuckled.

Ah, Carlisle and Esme had to be Edward and Alice's parents. It started to make sense now.

"It must be nice, to have such supportive parents," I commented before realizing I had opened a can of worms.

"It is," he said. "My family is very close. Is yours?"

I shake my head back and forth. "Not really. My parents divorced when I was in elementary school. Mom and I stayed in Phoenix and my dad moved to his hometown in Washington state. Neither of them could understand why I wanted to move to Los Angeles after college so it's been a bone of contention for a while. I haven't spent the holidays at home since," I paused briefly to refresh my memory, "well, I guess it's been three or four years now."

Edward let out a slow whistle. "I'm sorry, Bella," he said in an apologetic tone.

I reached out a hand to reassure him by touching his forearm. "Don't be. Rose and Jasper, and now Emmett I suppose, are my family."

He smiled, but for some reason it didn't reach his eyes. "Who are they?" he asked.

Before I could answer, his cell phone rang and he held up a finger to pause me. He stood up and walked towards the hallway so he could answer his call in privacy.

When he returned, he was frowning. "I have to go."

"That's fine," I wanted him to stay, though. He made me feel safe.

"Will you be okay? The power should be back on soon," He crouched down in front of me as he spoke.

"Of course I will," I claimed, silently pleading him not to go.

He nodded once, firmly. "Good. If the power isn't on by nightfall, give me a call," he said as he stood.

"Got it," I assured him.

"And Bella?" he asked from the doorway, his question sounding like an afterthought.

"Yeah?"

"How does dinner sound tomorrow night? I guess you don't know anyone and, well, I have the weekend off."

My eyes widened. Whether this was a real date or not, I was still glad that Edward wasn't totally freaked out by having to constantly rescue me from minor disasters. Also, it would be nice to have something to do on a Friday night instead of sit around Alice's big, empty house all alone.

"Uh, sure," I said after a long awkward pause.

Edward shot me a beautiful crooked smile. "I'll pick you up at seven.

* * *

**So, how about some reviews? Think of it as a Christmas present to me. **

**If you can get me _seven reviews by tomorrow afternoon_, and my lovely beta can be speedy (don't hate me), I'll post chapter four on Sunday!!** **DO IT!**


	5. Chapter Four: Landlines and Lifelines

**You are lovely readers :) Thanks for your reviews and alerts...they make me smile and type faster.  
**

**Disclaimer: I'm pretty sure you know the drill by now, yes?**

**Shout out to my lovingangels07 for beta'ing this so quickly so that I could get it to y'all! Be nice and check out her story, Risky Business!!**

**READ THE NOTE AT THE BOTTOM!  
**

* * *

**Chapter Four: Landlines and Lifelines  
**

_Jasper POV_

I knew there was some sort of gentleman rule that required me to wait three days or something before calling a woman and asking her out, but I didn't want to wait.

My mother, the quintessential Southern Belle that stuck out like a Scarlett O'Hara sore thumb in Phoenix, would be furious if she knew I was disregarding the rules she had so lovingly instilled in me since I emerged from her womb twenty-seven years ago. But, I figured what she didn't know wouldn't hurt her.

Screw the antiquated rules (well, some of them). I was calling Alice. Right Now.

Being the idiot that I tended to be when I got overwhelmed and goo-goo eyed (and trust, Alice overwhelmed me like no other before), I had completely forgotten to actually ask for her number last night, so I was forced to move on to plan b: calling the landline at Bella's.

As I held the receiver to my ear, I swore that I would never again make fun of Bella for refusing to rely solely on cell service, because, right now, the landline was my lifeline. It was my only way of contacting Alice short of showing up at the front door like a complete sap and asking for her number so that I could ask her on a date, properly.

"_You've reached Bella, leave me some love…and your number."_ Damn machine.

I took a deep breath, organizing my thoughts before I spoke.

"Alice? This is, uh, Jasper…Rosalie's brother. Sorry, I forgot to, um, get your number the other night and, uh, I was wondering if you wanted to go out? Tomorrow afternoon maybe? If not, it's fine, I just, uh, thought I would call. So…yeah. Call me."

_Smooth, Jasper_, I thought to myself as I pressed the end button that seemed to be mocking me. _Shit, I didn't leave my number._

Time for 'Jasper is an idiot,' round two. I dialed the number again and held my breath as I waited.

After listening to Bella's greeting chirp through my phone, I made an ass out of myself again.

"Alice? This is Jasper…again. I realized I forgot to leave you much number, so, uh, here it is," I rattled off my cell number with little or no stuttering and pressed the end button again.

I tossed my cell phone to the side and slapped my hands over my eyes in shame. As I rubbed my eyes in frustration, I sighed loudly, hoping she would take into account our conversation the night before instead of my awkward messages.

**

_Alice POV_

I bounced through the front door Friday morning, fresh and relaxed from my manicure/pedicure combination at a swanky salon on Rodeo, a fresh coat of 'I Can Can' dark purple covering my nails.

Dreams of an afternoon lounging by the pool flittered through my head; it was my last weekday of freedom before I started working on Rosalie's outfits for her upcoming film, and I wanted to spend it relaxing and soaking up the warm sun.

I skipped down through the foyer and into the kitchen for a bottle of water, and I noticed a blinking light on the answer machine in the small alcove between the kitchen and the hallway. Chuckling to myself at the fact that Bella _still_ had a landline, I contemplated leaving her messages for when she returned in January, but decided to listen to them instead. I was curious and who knows, they might have been important.

I pushed my freshly painted index finger onto the machine's listen button before continuing into the kitchen for my water.

Bella's voice filled the silence with her greeting before the messages began. I stuck my head in the refrigerator, rummaging for the water, when I heard a familiar voice dance towards me: Jasper's.

A genuine smile stole over my features and I bounced a little as I listened to him ramble and awkwardly ask me out. It was adorable.

Of course, I didn't realize that he had forgotten to leave his number until his voice surrounded me again after a brief interruption from the automated voice to inform me that it was moving on to the next message. This time, he seemed a little surer of himself, but still embarrassed and nervous. Again, it was endearing.

I darted towards the stack of post-it notes resting next to the machine, and scribbled down his number. After I was sure I had gotten it down correctly, I ripped the note off the pile, grabbed the cordless phone off of its cradle, and hopped towards the stairs to change into my bikini.

I decided to wait and call Jasper once I was settled by the pool in one of those perfect lounge chairs of Bella's.

**

_JPOV_

I must have nodded off, because the next thing I knew I was no longer wallowing in my own embarrassment. My cell was buzzing to the annoying ring tone I picked out especially for Bella.

Bella was calling me from her landline? Not likely. It had to be Alice.

Reaching to my left, I picked up my phone and quickly brought it in front of my eyes so I could make sure my mind wasn't playing tricks on me.

_Bella's House_, it read.

"'ello?" I answered swiftly after wasting valuable time dreamily patting myself on the back that Alice had returned my call.

"Jasper?" the perky voice that belonged to Alice sent a jolt of _something _down my spine. The way her tone dropped and breathed my name was hot.

"Hi, Alice. You got my message?"

She chuckled. "I did," she said, "both of them."

I groaned before launching into a tale of how I constantly pick on Bella for having a landline, but how I have never been more thankful for its existence. She laughed, a noise that was quickly climbing the charts of my favorite sounds, before telling me I better be glad she was curious by nature and decided to listen to the messages instead of leaving them until January.

I told her, in a moment of pure James Bond suaveness that I hoped wasn't annoying, that I would have waited until January for her_._ But in reality, before her statement, I hadn't even considered that she might not listen to them. _I'm getting in deep._

When our laughter died down, I decided to approach the date. "So, how about tomorrow?" I asked confidently.

"Well," she paused, "what did you have in mind?"

"Have you been down to the beach yet?" I was grateful I had come up with a rough plan earlier in the day.

I couldn't be sure, but she might have squealed. "No, but I love the beach! When do you want to go?" Normally, the high-pitch a female voice took on when they got excited bothered me, but for some unexplainable reason, Alice's didn't.

"I'll pick you up at noon," I responded quickly before adding, "Pack a sweater…it might get chilly when the sun starts to drop."

**

_Bella POV _

"I can't believe you've never had fish and chips" Edward's shocked expression and glittering green eyes shining with mirth made my heart flutter.

I blushed and smiled at him across the table of the local pub he had chosen for dinner. It was close enough that Edward and I could have walked there from Alice's if we wanted to and was full of local charm and character.

A candle sat between us, flanked by two mugs of what Edward claimed was the coldest beer in the area, including all of the pubs in London. In one corner, fifteen or so burly men were crowded around a flat screen television, enjoying a soccer game…or football, whatever they called it here.

"I've never been a big fan of fried food," I answered lamely with a shrug. Sugar on the other hand…apparently, I had inherited that gene from my mother; my father was a fan of anything breaded and dipped in grease.

Edward shook his head back and forth. "That's a shame. You don't know what you're missing out on."

I quirked an eyebrow at him, peering over the menu I was perusing as I waited for him to explain why.

"This place has the best fish and chips in town, is all," he said playfully with a nonchalant shrug.

"Is _everything_ here the 'best in town'?" It seemed like he was flirting, so I flirted back. Two could plan at that game.

He shrugged, rubbing his chin with his thumb and forefinger. "Eh, the bathrooms could use a bit of work."

I rolled my eyes sarcastically, earning a laugh from Edward.

"So, you'll get the fish and chips?"

"I'll get the fish and chips," I finally conceded with a sigh before taking a big gulp of my beer.

He nodded, happy that he had won, and signaled our waiter.

"The usual, Edward?" The tall Englishman prompted like he had known Edward for years.

"I come here often," Edward explained before answering the waiter. "Two this time, please."

I nodded in acceptance as he ordered two baskets of fish and chips for us, followed by another round of beers.

"Actually," I held up my finger as he was halfway through the word beer, "I'll have a gin and tonic with lime."

Edward looked taken back, but an oddly pleased smiled formed on his lips. "Scotch on the rocks for me, then, Aro," he said.

"Gin?" he questioned, leaning across the table. Edward's grin somehow larger than before once our waiter had left to put our orders in.

I gave him a smirk right back, "Scotch?"

Edward nodded as well before lifting his beer to his lips and finishing it off in one large gulp. He leaned back in his wooden chair smugly and I had to force myself to avoid looking at his neck as he swallowed.

_Friends._ I had to keep reminding myself of our platonic relationship.

I looked at my own beer; it was roughly one third of the way full. I could easily finish it off like he had. So, I did. When my glass was empty, I looked innocently at Edward to found his mouth gaping open.

"What?" I asked innocently.

He shook his head back and forth in amusement. "Nothing," he said through his teeth before Aro arrived with our well drinks and interrupted him.

Already, I was feeling a little buzz from the alcohol, I suppose the beer was a bit stronger than what I usually drank in America, but I wasn't complaining. It felt good to let loose and enjoy myself, no responsibilities. Rose complained all the time about how I never just _relax_. Tonight, I decided, I would prove her wrong…and I had a plan of how to do it.

I glanced at Edward. He was casually sipping from his drink and, once again, I had to stop myself from gawking.

I shot him a playful grin before holding up my right hand. "Aro?" I called across the pub. Our waiter looked up and darted over.

It was Edward's turn to send a questioning look.

"Four shots please," I asked, "of tequila."

Edward's eyes widened and I had trouble defining the look contained in them.

"Bella," he pleaded, "I have to drive us, then me, home."

"We can walk, you can sober up then go," I argued confidently, my gaze shifting from Aro to him.

He considered this for a moment while I shot him my best puppy dog look; Emmett said it was lethal. "Fine, four tequila shots, Aro," he conceded.

I bounced up and down once in my chair as we watched Aro walk towards the bar.

"My sister bounces."

I stopped myself. "Oh, I don't usually bounce," I said as I felt my face redden. "I just haven't had a chance to let loose and relax for a while."

He chuckled. "No worries, you could bounce for this entire meal and still be impossibly intriguing."

I was dazzled, but didn't want to talk about myself. "What's Alice like?"

"Bouncy," he answered with a mock seriousness.

I narrowed my eyes at him as Aro sat our shots in front of us, complete with a napkin full of limes and a saltshaker.

Edward reached for a shot, a lime, and, heaven help me, licked his hand before pouring some of the white grains in it and passing it to me. He waited while I prepared myself before holding his shot up for a toast. "To letting loose," he said with a smirk.

I held up my shot glass to meet his. "To letting loose," I agreed before we downed the liquor.

He winced after swallowing, hissing through his teeth. "Been a while," he commented.

I agreed in my mind; I couldn't remember the last time I had tossed back shots…it was probably celebrating Rose getting her first big role.

I giggled, starting to feel the earlier beer mix with the gin and now tequila shots…

We agreed to pace ourselves at least a little, signaling for another beer and putting off the second tequila shot until our food arrived. I was sure fish and chips with tequila probably wasn't very appetizing, but I was headed in the direction of 'I don't care-ville.'

"So, Alice," Edward began, bringing us back to our earlier conversation. "She's this little pixie thing…so into fashion and style that it's almost ridiculous, but she's great at what she does. I wouldn't be surprised if we lost her to Los Angeles or Paris one day," he smiled as he spoke of his sister.

"We're a very close family and she would do anything for any of us without question. She loves fiercely and with her whole heart, though for some reason she has yet to have a serious boyfriend. I think she's holding out for some special guy before sharing her whole heart with him. Really, she's my best friend."

I smiled as I watched him tell me about his dear sister; if the adoration in his eyes was any indication, Jasper was in good hands. Great hands, actually.

Edward finished his outline of all that is Alice just as Aro arrived with our food and two more shots that we didn't order.

"Enjoy," Aro said quickly before turning away.

"Aro," Edward called, "we didn't order these." He pointed to the shots.

Aro grinned, apparently that told Edward all he needed to know.

"Alice," Edward simply said before turning to me and explaining. "She also has an, uh, sixth sense sometimes."

I stopped, French fry hanging limply from my fingers.

Edward and Aro laughed at my response.

"She told me if you came in with an American girl to send you drinks, or shots, or whatever I thought you might like," Aro explained before turning and retreating once more.

Edward shrugged. "I guess you could call them more of premonitions, or maybe she's just good at guessing. We're not really sure," he said.

I nodded, understanding that this wasn't a weird power that Alice thought she had, just more of a general talent for feeling out the future.

"Is she right a lot of the time?"

"Sometimes," Edward said before taking a bit of his fish. "This one time, when we were little, she told my mom that I was going to get hurt. We brushed it off as Alice being Alice, she always is doing something silly for attention, but the next afternoon I broke my arm at recess."

My eyes widened. "That's amazing," I said in awe. Probably it was the tequila.

Edward chuckled, brushing it away. "Shot?" he asked, pointing to the shots that were now to their original number.

I nodded. This time, we took the shots in a much less civil manner—finishing them both quickly before diving back into our food. We made small talk as we ate and I found myself wondering when the last time I had a simple conversation with a man that didn't involve innuendos and flirting had been.

"I'm stuffed," I announced once my basket was nearly empty, tossing my napkin on top of the remaining food.

"And?" Edward asked, clearly asking me to praise his beloved fish and chips.

"Delicious," because really, I had enjoyed them.

He grinned, dazzling me again. "Stop that," I said before I could stop myself.

"Stop what?"

"Dazzling me like that," I said. Wasn't it obvious?

"I dazzle you?" he asked, intrigued and still doing it.

"Yes," I said, once again feeling my face flush. "When you smile like that."

"I'll stop," he forced his lips into a thin line before reaching for his beer.

"Tell me about your friends. Rose, Jasper, and was it Emmett?" he asked, changing the subject.

I thought of my family back in Los Angeles. Suddenly, I missed them. "That's right," I said proudly. "I really don't know where to begin, really. I've known Rose and Jasper since we were in kindergarten; we all grew up together in Phoenix…we were completely inseparable. They're twins, by the way.

Jasper and I went to Arizona State, Rose moved to LA to act, then we moved there after graduation as well."

Edward cut me off. "You and Jasper?"

"God, no," I shook my head back and force fiercely, knowing what he was implying. "We're like siblings."

He nodded, I continued. "Anyway, like I said, my parents weren't too big on me moving so far away, so they became my family."

"And Emmett?"

I grinned, thinking about my best friend's fiancée that was like a cuddly teddy bear. "Rose's fiancée; they met on set six months ago and have been _very on_ since. He's practically a family member now."

Edward was full of questions, apparently. "On set?"

I nodded, realizing that I had forgotten to tell Edward about Rose's occupation. "Yeah, Em's a stuntman," I said nonchalantly. It wasn't a big deal to me, really.

"And Rose?"

"She's an actress."

Edward nodded his head slowly. "Has she been in anything I've heard of?"

I cringed; sometimes I hated to share what Rose did with people...they tended to take advantage "Probably," I finally said, "the big franchise, you know with the vampires and the werewolves."

"You mean, The Vampire Chronicles?"

"That's the one," I said.

"Huh," Edward said, not going deeper into the issue. "Wait, Rose is Rosalie? As in Rosalie Hale?"

I was doing a lot of nodding tonight.

"That's who Alice is working with," Edward said, surprising me. Most people didn't react so calmly.

"I know, Rose told me online yesterday before the power went out. It really is a great opportunity for Alice, Rose knows so many people in the business."

"It is," he agreed with a small frown. "So, they met on set?"

I was amazed that he didn't want to know more about the movies, about the lifestyle of the Hollywood beauty queen, Rosalie Hale, and whether or not she was dating a costar.

Now, he was dazzling me with his personality, not just his amazing smile.

I shook my head back and forth to focus. "Yes, they met on set," I began, chuckling to myself as I remembered the events surrounding their meeting.

"It's a funny story, actually. Em was dating Rosalie's stunt double when she saw him and said to herself, 'I want him' and, trust me, Rose gets what she wants. So, she pranced over to him, all done up in her vampire make-up and costume and introduced herself as the 'real Rosalie Hale' and said something about how if Em wanted the real thing, she was right there. They were together a week later."

"Damn," Edward sighed, once again leaning back against his chair. The alcohol had started to glaze his eyes over a little and, it might have just been my own drunkenness talking, but his hair looked like it was calling my hands to it. I told them to stay put, but ended up having to sit on them to hold them at bay.

I agreed. "Yep. That's Rose though."

By now, the pub was becoming rowdy as the soccer game wound down to a tense ending with the winning team coming from another country. Edward seemed to notice at the same time I did and signaled for the bill.

"We should probably get going soon before things get messy in here," he said as he pulled out his wallet and began pulling out cash.

I attempted to contribute to the meal, but he refused. I didn't put up a fight.

"Ready?" he asked while waiting for me to stand.

I stood and realized that my legs were a little less reliable than they had been earlier in the evening; not that my clumsy legs were ever at one hundred percent.

Edward was at my side quickly, ever so valiant. "You ok?"

"I'm fine," I said, hoping that the arm he had snaked around my waist would stay there. "Are we walking home?"

A crooked smile formed on his lips as he reached for my jacket, holding it out for me. "I think that's a good idea."

"Wait, how will you get home?" I asked as I fumbled with the zipper on my jacket.

Edward's hands pushed mine out of the way as he helped me pull the zipper up, I wished briefly that he was pulling it down instead of up, before he led me towards the door of the pub. _Stop Bella._

"Alice has a few guestrooms at her house, in case you haven't noticed," he answered once we were outside of the pub, the cheers from inside were now muffled and the stars were thick above us when I looked up.

"Okay," I said, my attention taken away from the dazzling man beside me to the sparkling stars above me.

"No stars in California?" Edward asked, wrapping his arm around my waist again as we walked down the curvy road toward Alice's.

I looked to him and grinned. "Not like this," I said in a dreamy, dazed voice.

He returned my grin and we continued to walk.

"You didn't tell me much about Jasper," Edward said after a few quiet minutes.

I smiled as I thought about my 'brother.' I wasn't sure what the Spanish Inquisition from Edward was for, but I loved sharing my friends with him, so I didn't ask for a reason.

"For as long as I can remember, Jasper's had an instrument in his hand, or he was always humming a tune under his breath. Jasper studied music and music business at Arizona State, played his guitar in bars and at fraternity parties for all four years. He's local favorite.

He still plays in LA sometimes, small coffee shops and dive bars," I paused to gage Edward's reaction.

"The girls loved his southern charm and manners. His mother, Savannah," I said her name with a southern twang, "comes from old oil money in Texas. When we moved to LA, he got a low-level job with a company that helps production companies put together music for TV shows and movie soundtracks. Six months into the job, he was an account executive."

"I think Jasper and I would get along well," Edward said, clearly surprised.

"He's great," I agreed, glad that Edward enjoyed the description; seeing as how it was possible my 'brother' was falling for his sister.

"You majored in English?" Edward asked without missing a beat. I didn't realize we had never discussed my time in college.

I nodded as we approached Alice's fence. "Yes, with a minor in Literature."

"Of course," he smirked as he swung open the gate and motioned for me to enter before him.

We walked silently inside, Edward using his key to open the door. Once we were out of the cold, I pointed to the restroom. "I'm going to, you know." He nodded in understanding and told me he would be in the living room.

I met him in the living room, when I finished in the restroom and collapsed onto the sofa as he slid his cell into his back pocket and poked the fire simultaneously before joining me.

"Tell me about you," I suddenly said, realizing I knew nothing about the handsome man next me.

"Not much to tell," he said, his eyes focused on the flames.

"Edward…" I pleaded and finally he turned to face me.

His eyes were different, closed off, but he spoke anyway. "I graduated from Oxford with a degree in medicine, as you know. I, uh," he seemed to be having a hard time coming up with something and I could tell he didn't enjoy talking about himself.

"I play the piano and enjoy classical music more than other genres," I could tell he was grasping at straws.

"How long have you played?" I tossed him a line.

He grinned. Jackpot; this was what he loved. "Since I was four. Esme forced me into lessons, but then I loved playing and begged to go every week."

"Esme," I repeated slowly, "unique name."

Edward nodded. "Family," he said in explanation.

I nodded. "I know, Alice left you're parents number on her emergency contact list," I stated before a yawn escaped.

Edward was watching my lips. _Do not kiss him, Bella_. I noticed that my eyes had left his eyes and traveled to his lips as well and I was starting to lean in.

"Are you tired?" Edward asked suddenly, his eyes shifting upward.

I shrugged. "I could probably sleep," I joked.

He grinned at my statement before frowning. "I'm on call tomorrow, so I should probably be rested," he stated, a hint of sadness in his voice. Was he enjoying this as much as I was?

"Okay," I said with a small nod and forced grin.

We both sat there, neither of us making a move to head upstairs to our designated rooms, our eyes glued to each other's.

"I think we have to go upstairs to sleep," Edward said in a strained, whispery voice.

"Right," I agreed, quickly hopping up from the couch. Edward followed suit.

At the top of the stairs, we turned to one another, unsure of how to part for the evening. "Well, thanks for dinner," I said awkwardly, avoiding his eyes for some unknown reason.

He used his index finger to lift my chin, forcing me to meet his eyes.

"Goodnight, Isabella, I enjoyed this," he said with one of his dazzling grins before turning and darting down the hall towards his guest room.

I sighed like a schoolgirl and floated towards mine, reminding myself that we were friends and only friends. _That doesn't mean I can't stare at his retreating backside, does it?_

_

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_**A/N: So, ****If you review, I will send you a little outtake from the first time Edward/Bella met in this story, or Jasper/Alice, whichever you prefer! Just be sure to make a note of which one you prefer and I'll send it your way. If you're really lucky and are dying for more, I'll send you both! YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO, SO DO IT :)**

**Have a lovely evening :)**

**_UP NEXT: Alice and Jasper go on a date...woooo!_  
**


	6. Chapter Five: Sand and Cement

**_A_****_/N: Check the bottom for news :) I love you all and your sweet reviews!  
_**

**_Disclaimer: Same as always...they aren't mine :(_**

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**Chapter Five: Sand and Cement**

_Alice POV_

After Jasper and I ended our call, I tried everything I could to get my mind off of our impending date and the nervousness that it caused in the pit of my stomach.

I couldn't remember the last time I had been this anxious, or such a dazed mess, about something or _someone_. What was _wrong_ with me? Oh, right, the manners and the style and the...Jasper.

I tried listening to music as I lounged by the pool to alleviate the butterflies fluttering in my stomach. When I pulled myself away from the cushions an hour later, I felt worse. I was even more keyed up than before, and my skin had turned a lovely shade of pink because I forgot to reapply sunscreen. Stupid me for being stupid Jasper crazy.

Later, I attempted to cook dinner for myself, but the kitchen reminded me of the evening we shared, talking and getting to know one another, so no luck there.

I was momentarily distracted when the grilled cheese I was making came close to catching on fire, but after I was sure that Bella's home was safe from being turned into ashes, my mind reverted back to the man I would see the next day.

By the time I crawled into Bella's fluffy bed and pulled the comforter across my body, I had to force myself not to fantasize about how nice it would be if Jasper was crawling it next to me. I was getting in deep, too deep.

The next morning, I was in innocent bliss for all of thirty seconds before I remembered that I had a date that afternoon with Mr. _'Southern Twang'_ Hale. I wasn't sure how he had come to speak with an accent that placed him in Mississippi instead of his hometown of Phoenix, but I secretly thanked whatever deity was responsible for it because it kind of made my head spin.

After standing in the closet for an hour, I finally settled on an outfit I was pleased with, casual but still stylish. I plopped down in a chair by the pool again, this time with a book and, waited. Was it eager of me to start getting ready at 9 a.m?

Finally, quarter 'till noon, I was on the edge of my lounge chair when the doorbell rang and the butterflies in my stomach picked up their tempo. _Early, yes!_

I grabbed my bag from the chair in the foyer and swung the door open, happy I was about to see Jasper on the other side with a smile on his face just for me.

"Hi, little one!" Emmett bellowed from the front stoop in nothing but board shorts and a lime green towel draped around his shoulders. Not exactly the person I was expecting.

I panicked. "What, what are you doing here?" He could not be here right now. I had places to be, Jasper to see. And why was he in swimwear?

"Well, don't act so hospitable, little one," he said sarcastically. "I wanted to go for a swim but Rose's pool is being cleaned right now, so..." he trailed off as he leaned to the side, his eyes traveling through the house and in the direction of the back yard before returning to me and noticing that I was on my way out. "Is this a bad time?"

"Yes," I answered in a clipped tone that was very out of character. "I have have a, uh," we were interrupted by an older, dark green Range Rover rumbling into the driveway. Emmett turned to see what caused the noise.

"Date?" Emmett asked with a huge grin as he spotted Jasper behind the wheel and turned back around to face me.

I couldn't help but grin and sigh at the sight before me. Jasper had stepped out of the car, a bouquet of daises in his right hand. His distressed jeans were hanging perfectly on his hips and his crisp, light blue button down with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows revealed his perfect forearms.

"Mhmm," I sighed in a dreamy tone as Jasper strutted confidently towards me.

Emmett laughed loudly, "I'll get out of your hair, then. But seriously, can I use the pool?"

I merely nodded in response and he quickly brushed past me and into the house after patting me on the head like a puppy.

"Hi," Jasper said breathlessly as he stepped in front of me, seemingly unaffected by Emmett's arrival. "These are for you.

Jasper handed me the bouquet and our fingers brushed, sending tingles down my spine.

I swooned and carefully took them from his hand, making a point to let my hand linger against his for a few seconds. "Just let me grab a vase," I said before turning and retreating into the house for as little time as possible. I wanted to get back to Jasper.

In record time, I was back in the doorway. "Ready?" he asked with a boyish, eager grin as he extended his hand to mine.

"Ready," I echoed, wrapping my hand in his own.

After escorting me to my side of the car and opening the door, we were on our way. For some inexplicable reason, his presence calmed me and the butterflies stopped their fluttering in my stomach. As we drove through the palm tree lined streets towards the coast, everything felt perfect, like I was in the exact moment I had been fated to be in.

"I think I love… _it_ here," I announced as we neared the coast.

Jasper turned to me, a lazy grin on his lips. "Yeah?"

"Yeah, it's perfect," I wasn't sure now if I was talking about the scenery or the moment.

When we arrived at the beach, the energy of the people dotting the sand buzzed around us and I soaked as much of it in as possible. One day, I decided, I would live here so that I could come soak it in whenever I wanted.

Jasper and I found a perfect spot in the middle of the sea of people hanging out with friends, loved ones, and pets.

He spread out a blanket for us to sit on and started to set out the picnic lunch he had packed for us. It was a little bit cheesy and cliche, but I'm a big fan of romantic comedies, so I adored it.

We ate, laughed, and tossed around a frisbee. I was glad that I had decided against wearing the bikini I had contemplated on earlier in the day. Californians knew how to enjoy the sand and surf without the sunbathing and swimming. The cute little outfit and sunglasses I was wearing turned out to be the norm for a December day at the beach. _Score.  
_  
It was amazing how comfortably our conversation flowed, almost like we had pressed the pause button at Bella's doorstep the other night and pressed play once we were together again.

Jasper's parents, I learned, were supportive of their children's move to LA. They understood that he needed to spread his wings and that Rose was meant to be in the spotlight, both things they wouldn't be able to do so in Phoenix.

I admired their courage to leave the only home he had ever known and hoped that one day I would be able to leave gloomy London without missing my family terribly.

As the day wore on, we subconsciously moved closer and closer to each other on the blanket and by later afternoon, we were side by side, our hands intertwined and our heads leaned together as we talked about our families and everyday lives. To an outsider, we must have looked like a young couple falling in love. Maybe we were.

Jasper was in the middle of telling me about his mother and the time she sent him to "gentleman" school in Texas one summer during high school (which explained the accent and impeccable manners) when he stopped suddenly and turned to me, "Alice, you're shivering."

I hadn't noticed, too enraptured by his story to focus on anything but his kissable lips moving as he spoke.

"Oh, I'm fine," I waved it off, urging him to continue as I scooted closer into his side.

The sun began to set and the temperature dropped, but the heat radiating from his body was enough to keep me warm.

He didn't seem to think it was enough. "Did you bring a sweater?"

I nodded and grudgingly pulled away from him to reach into my bag. I pull my tan sweater out and put in on. I tossed a glance in his direction and he seemed satisfied, so I slid back into my spot by his side.

This time, he tossed his arm around my shoulders and pulled me against him. It was a good thing I was sitting down, or I might have bounced in excitement.

He continued his story and before I knew it, it was dark outside and we were both silent, enjoying each others company and the sound of the waves crashing against the sand.

Jasper was the first to break the silence.

"Well," he brushed off his hands against his thighs and stood, "time for the second half of our date."

"There's more?" I tried to conceal my relief. I was feeling a bit melancholy about the prospect the night ending already.

Jasper extended his hand to me brought me up from the ground. "I'm not ready to let you out of my sight yet, Alice."

I grinned like a lovesick fool. "Where are we going? Should I change?" Help me lord, I was bouncing.

"It's a surprise, and no you don't need to change." His eyes pierced my own and I watched as they washed over my body, "you're dressed fine."

"I love surprises, but it's usually pretty hard to pull them off with me. I always guess," I explained with a shrug.

"I figured you were a fan of them," he said with a large grin as we each took an end of the blanket to shake the sand off of it and fold it up.

"You did?"

He nodded as we met in the middle to meet our ends together. "Of course I did," he confirmed with a sly wink.

"Come on, I promise you'll be in the dark until we get there." He tucked the blanket under his arm and picked up the basket before extending his hand to me.

We drove for a bit, back into downtown and through Beverly Hills before we arrived in what Jasper informed me was West Hollywood. I really had no clue where we were; I hadn't been paying attention to the road, my eyes too stuck on the man driving the car to notice my surroundings.

It was pretty clear, though, that he was making unnecessary turns just to throw me off to ensure the element of surprise. I didn't mind though, I appreciated the extra effort he was putting into it.

"We're here," Jasper announced as he slid his car into a parallel spot.

I looked to the left and then to the right, but couldn't make heads or tails of our location. Then, I turned around._ Oh_.

My mouth fell open in shock and surprise.

"Are you surprised?" Jasper asked from the driver's seat.

I turned to him and grinned, bouncing up and down in my seat and squealing. I tried, but couldn't contain myself. "Yes!" I finally said/squealed and launched myself towards him, tossing my arms around his neck in glee.

He chuckled beneath me, "Do you want to stay in the car all night?"

I reluctantly withdrew myself from him and turned to swing open the door.

"Wait," he stopped me and stretched his arm across me. Gentleman, right. I should have been used to the chivalry after growing up with Carlisle and Edward, but I wasn't.

After Jasper had crossed around to my side of the SUV and helped me out of the car, we headed towards one of Hollywood's biggest tourist attractions: Grauman's Chinese Theater.

"You remembered?" I asked Jasper as we approached the theater and began to make our way through the massive amount of tourists blocking the entrance.

The night we had sat in Bella's kitchen and chatted I had rattled off a long list of places I wanted to go while in town. At the top of the list had been, of course, the beach. But somewhere near the bottom was, 'the place where celebrities put their hands in cement.'

Jasper seemed kind of dazed or bored halfway through the list. He wore a far-off look in his eyes, but I hadn't stopped. I assumed he had been in la-la land. But, apparently he had been listening and taking mental notes.

He grinned down at me. "I remembered every place you wanted to go," he said and I died, Rachel Zoe style, because I could barely remember all of the hot spots I had rambled on and on about. My mouth was gaping open and I had stopped walking. Jasper chuckled and pulled me forward with a smug grin.

Once I was next to Jasper again, I asked if he had been here before.

"Nope," he responded with a shrug. "I wanted to do something on your list tonight that I had never done either."

He was pulling out all the stops, and I was swooning. "So, what else was on the list?" I nudged him in the side with my elbow.

"You'll see eventually," he evaded the question.

I slid up closer to him and leaned against his arm as we approached the blocks of cement. I had a hard time believing I was standing on Hollywood Boulevard with a man I had known for less than a week, walking across the celebrity hand and footprints that dotted the ground beneath us. I almost pinched myself to ensure I wasn't dreaming.

For the next hour and a half we strolled through the forecourt, laughing as we joked about the celebrities honored there and the size of their hands and feet. We took turns placing our hands and feet in those of the stars, finding a near perfect match every now and then.

I did a happy dance when my hands were almost the same size as Julie Andrews and Jasper stood up a little straighter when he learned that his feet were the same size as John Wayne's.

Eventually the crowds around us started to dissipate and the temperature was reminding us that, though it had been warm all afternoon, it was still December. We decided to call it a night and head back towards Beverly Hills.

Like the night we met, all too soon we were standing in front of Bella's door and avoiding separation.

"I had a great time today, Jasper," I whispered, not wishing to break the enchantment that had been over us all day.

Jasper seemed to feel the mood as well and followed suit with the whispering, "I did too."

"Can we...will you call me again?" I was attempting to be bold, but my voice betrayed me.

"Of course," he smirked, wrapping his arms around my waist, and pulled me closer, "we have a long list to get through."

The list could wait. Right now, on Bella's doorstep, I had other thoughts. A fleeting, random thought had me hoping Emmett was done swimming and wouldn't interrupt us.

Before I had time to contemplate how bad an interruption would be, though, Jasper's lips gently meshed with mine and every thought in my mind that didn't have to do with the gorgeous man in front of me flew out the window.

It wasn't a long kiss, just enough to leave me desperately wanting more, _much_ more. Never in my life had I felt tingles all over my body from a single, innocent kiss. I think I stopped breathing for a few seconds.

"Goodnight, Alice," he seemed breathless.

I bit my lip and looked up at him through my eyelashes. "You too. Thanks for today, Jasper,"

One quick kiss later, I unlocked the door and slid through the entrance before leaning against the door as I listened to him drive away.

I was certain that I had just experienced the best date in the history of all dates. _Score!_

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_A/N: A few thing to cover...just go along with it!_

_1. I have a twitter now! Yay! Link on my profile :) Follow me for surprises!_

_2. THANK YOU for your awesome feedback on the last chapter...I'm overwhelmed._

_3. Are you reading Risky Business by lovingangels07 yet? You better be. It's written by my wonderful beta. _

_4. Other fun things on my profile now: pictures of the houses, Bella/Alice outfits, and more to come!_

**_So, how about some reviews?!_**


	7. Chapter Six: Coffee

**A/N: All of my reviewers, alterters, and ladies who have favorited are amazing. That is all. **

**A few story recs for you lovelies: Risky Business by my awesome beta, lovingangels07. When Worlds Collide by JandMsMommy. Blood Lust by writerinmydreams007. Unbitten by maggieloo402. They're all amazing, so check 'em out!**

**Also, links to Rose, Bella, and Alice's outfits on my profile...check them out!  
**

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**Chapter Six: Coffee  
**

_Bella's POV _

On Monday, I decided to leave the comfort of Alice's warm house and explore London. The temperature rose overnight, melting the snow that blanketed the roads, so I felt comfortable enough to give backwards driving another try since my disastrous trip to the local market. I dressed in my warmest clothes, packed the little book of London highlights I had bought at the airport, and was on my way to the bustling city by mid-morning.

I had no desire to stand around inside typical tourist attractions with a camera dangling from my neck as people I didn't know bumped into me, so I chose a few places that were within walking distance. I hoped to stumble upon a local pub or coffee shop later on so I could read my worn copy of _Pride and Prejudice_, and enjoy the charm of the city.

Buckingham Palace was my first stop. I walked around the massive structure, snapped a few pictures, and was ready to move on within a half hour. Unlike the group of teens ahead of me, I didn't harbor any silly illusions of Prince William or Prince Henry coming out to spout poetry of love and ask for my hand in marriage. I was practical, fairy tales like that just didn't happen.

What did exist in real life, however, was something I knew I could depend on it for the rest of my life. It always picked me up when I was feeling sluggish and gave me warm fuzzy feelings when I held it in my hands.

Good old dependable Joe. Coffee that is.

I was in great need of a cup of coffee and my fingers were numb from the freezing cold, so I headed off in search of that local café I had hoped for earlier.

Luckily I found a cafe two blocks from the palace and it was exactly the type of place I was looking for. The front was covered with large windows and a quick glance inside told me that there were plenty of comfortable-looking armchairs flanked by end tables, patrons either chatting quietly with a friend or working on their laptops, and bookshelves covering the walls in the back. It was idyllic and cozy.

After the barista handed me my grande nonfat mocha, I chose a plush leather chair placed in the corner of the store near the front. Every few sips, I spared a glance outside the large bay windows enjoying the chaos outside without actually participating in it. The chairs around me were empty, allowing me to spend time with my favorite characters without interruption. I removed my heavy coat and tossed it across the back of my chair and dove into the world of Elizabeth Bennett.

It had been months since I had had the time to sit down and immerse myself in the classic tale from another time with a language all its own and I reveled in it. Without taking notice of the time or the fact that I had finished my latte, I read page after page, eager to reach my favorite part of the story before I ventured back out into the cold.

I was a page away from my destination when I felt the presence of someone sitting down in the chair across from me. Lucky for them I had just removed my feet from where they had been propped up on the seat. Without closing my book, I looked up to see who had invaded what I had come to call my personal space over the last hour.

My eyes widened in shock. Right there in front of me, sat Edward with a cup of steaming coffee in his hand. He also seemed surprised to see me as I registered his presence.

"What are you doing here?" We both asked at the same time before erupting in laughter.

"You first," Edward said with a dazzling smirk.

"I spent the morning walking around Buckingham Palace, took a few photos, and ended up here when the need for caffeine and warmth overcame me. It's cozy, don't you think?" I looked around as I spoke, taking in the atmosphere once more.

"That's why it's my favorite place to stop before heading home after a long shift at the hospital," Edward filled me in, giving me a crooked smile as he took another sip of his coffee, "It's just around the block."

I quickly took in his overall appearance. There were dark circles under his eyes, much like the ones that were present the night he came to my rescue when the power went out and he was wearing a pair of blue scrubs under his coat and scarf. On his feet was a pair of running shoes. Even exhausted, he looked perfect. _Don't go there._

"Imagine that," I pondered out loud with a grin.

"Have you been here long?" he asked.

I nodded, pointing to the book in my hand and indicating how far I had read. "A couple of hours now, I suppose. I kind of lost track of time."

"Jane Austen. A classic," Edward mused, seeming to approve in my tastes of books.

"It's my favorite, as you can probably tell," I giggled awkwardly at the torn cover.

He gently fingered through the tattered pages, showing proper TLC towards my beloved book. "It certainly looks loved," he agreed.

"It is," I confirmed. "When was your shift?"

"Midnight to eight a.m.," He answered and my mouth fell open.

"You've been up all night? Shouldn't there be an intern or newbie for that shift?"

He shrugged. "I suppose you could say I'm the low man on the totem pole," he answered, his eyes traveling down to study his coffee cup intensely as he spoke. "After the, uh," he stopped himself and looked up to meet my gaze, his statement suddenly changing its course. "I just needed a change. I've only been at the hospital for a year or so. It's not too bad, though. I can sleep in the on-call room if there aren't any emergencies."

I was pondering the weirdness of his answer and the look of sheer sadness on his face, when his cell phone started vibrating in his pocket. After pulling it out, a worried look flashed across his features and he excused himself to answer the call.

A few minutes later, he returned with a frown on his face and the worry hadn't left his eyes. I looked up at him, eyes wide.

"Everything okay?" I asked.

"I have to go," he said in a tone that made me think maybe he didn't want to face what was waiting on him.

I nodded; it wasn't like this had been a planned rendezvous. "Okay," I forced myself to smile. _Why did it hurt so much to see him leave?_

"Sorry," he paused, pondering his next words carefully as he re-buttoned his jacket, "it's a, uh, family emergency I guess you could say."

"Go, go," I waved my hands to shoo him out the door. "I hope everything is okay!"

I watched as he strode towards the door, paused in the doorway, and offered me a sad smile and a wave goodbye.

I suddenly found myself wondering what made him so sad and how I could make it better.

**  
_Alice's POV_

When I walked into the studio on Monday morning to begin putting together outfits for Rose's film, I was still floating on cloud nine after my date with Jasper. Never before had I felt such a connection with someone after only spending a day with them. I didn't want him to leave my sight before I knew everything there was to know about him...in a non-stalker way. And the kiss...I couldn't even begin to describe how one single, simple kiss had managed to leave me breathless and wanting more so desperately.

After I sat down at the round conference table, waiting for everyone else to arrive, I pulled out my unlined sketch pad to take down notes during the meeting, as well as my day planner to skim over my schedule for the next month. The next few weeks were going to be stressful and busy. There would be no rest for the weary, I had to dash around Los Angeles in search of perfect outfits for Rose's never-sleeping character, but I reminded myself that this was the opportunity I had been praying for, so I needed to be thankful.

I continued to look over my schedule, killing time until the meeting started, when I saw it; the date I was scheduled to return back to England.

_Why did the words 'return home' suddenly make me sick to my stomach when, less than three days ago, I was wondering how on earth I was going to manage the holidays without my family?_

My thoughts were interrupted by a bubbly brunette plopping down into the seat next to me. I shifted my eyes to her, but continued to stare at the ominous date.

"Hi, I'm Jessica," she said with a wide smile. "Oh my God, can you believe we're going to be working with_the_ Rosalie Hale? She's, like, the hottest thing in Hollywood right now. Do you think she can, like, hook us up with other celebrities? I've had a major crush on Chace Crawford since his Gossip Girl days..." Jessica rambled on, listing the pros and cons to dating a man in the 'industry' without giving me an opportunity to introduce myself. I decided to keep the fact that I had dined with 'the Rosalie Hale' a few nights prior to myself for obvious reasons.

Apparently I had been wrong about my personality for many years. Up until meeting Jessica, I had always assumed that, in any given situation, I had the possibility to be the most annoying person because of my general excitement for life and, well, the bouncing. Boy, was I wrong.

By nothing short of a miracle, the lead on our project walked through the door just as my fellow intern felt the need to share her dislike for Lindsay Lohan with me.

"Good morning ladies," she greeted us with a genuine smile, "I'm Angela. You must be Alice and Jessica?"

I could tell I was going to like her immediately. Dressed immaculately from head to toe, she failed to remove her sunglasses throughout the duration of the meeting, reminding me of a less dramatic Rachel Zoe. From what I could tell, her taste was impeccable and she was willing to give both Jessica and I plenty of creative freedom. Essentially, the two of us would put together outfits for Rose to approve or reject and then she would have final judgment. It was an ideal situation, really.

"Now, Miss Hale should be arriving within the next half hour to make introductions and share with you both a little bit about her character in the saga. Let's take a break while we're waiting for her," Angela said before quickly gathering her things and disappearing into her hidden office.

Jessica mumbled something about running upstairs to grab a quick snack, so I took the opportunity to familiarize myself with the office. Just a few short steps down the hallway from the conference room, I stumbled upon the Promised Land; a room filled with racks and racks of designer clothing and accessories. I had the sudden urge to get my hands on the expensive garbs, eager to mix and match the items in front of me.

I was combing through a rack filled exclusively with the newest Marc Jacobs pieces when I heard a squeal from somewhere in the front of the studio followed by, "You're really Rosalie Hale like, standing in front of me!" Oh, poor Jessica.

_This was going to be interesting_, I thought to myself before abandoning the clothes that and heading towards the voices.

Not wanting to interrupt what I was sure would be a moment of embarrassment for the girl that had annoyed me earlier, I paused a few steps from the end of the hall and stuck my head around the corner for a better view as I leaned against the wall.

Sure enough, Rose was standing in there with Jessica, a disgusted look on her face as she dropped her bag to the floor. In one hand, she was holding an iced coffee from Starbucks. Like Angela, she had yet to remove her Ray Bans from their position in front of her glamorous eyes. _What is with these Hollywood people and their sunglasses?_

"Who are you?" Rose scoffed.

Jessica wasn't fazed by her words. "Jessica Stanley, one of the interns? I am so, so excited to be working with you."

"Where's Alice?"

"Oh, she's in the back or something. It's not like she's going to be doing anything, really. She's, like, not even American." I chucked softly at her words.

"We'll see," Rose said, eying her up and down, "I'm going to go find her, um, Jennifer." With those words, Rosalie brushed past her and towards me. I pushed away from the wall and pretended to be walking instead of eavesdropping.

"Oh, it's, uh, Jessica. See you, Rose," Jessica called to her retreating figure with a wave.

Rose stopped dead in her tracks and turned slowly on her heel. "It's Miss Hale," she said, her voice filled with venom. I was full out laughing and didn't care who heard.

"Who the hell is that?" Rose questioned, finding me doubled over in laughter.

"My fellow intern, unfortunately. Think you could hook her up with Chace Crawford?" I joked.

Rose rolled her eyes. "Of course not, he would hate her," she said matter-of-factly. "Let's go find Angela and get this thing over with before Jessica catches on."

We made our way through the maze of hallways towards Angela's office, and I was grateful that Rose knew the location.

After informing Angela that Rose and I were leaving to get coffee so we could _"get acquainted and talk about the character more in depth,"_ (Rose's words) we scurried towards the back exit to avoid running into Jessica.

Eventually, we were seated in the nearest coffee shop, both with a new cup of the caffeine-filled drink in front of us on the small round table.

"So, you and Jasper?" Rose didn't waste any time dodging the issue, asking the question after a quick recounting of Jessica's oddities. I kind of admired her for not beating around the bush.

I couldn't hide my grin. "We had a great time, Rose," I assured her, unable to put my feelings into words.

"He told me," she said with a smirk.

"He did?" _He talked about me? About our date?_

She nodded, fingering the lid of her cup. "Jasper's had a, uh, difficult time dating. More often than not it's been my protective ass' fault. But I like you, Alice, so I like you for my brother."

I beamed. Rose liked me...not only as a stylist, but as a potential girlfriend for her brother. _Wait, girlfriend?_ I couldn't believe I allowed my mind to go there. _January 5th._

"Well, I really like your brother," I said without thinking. "Thank you for your, er, blessing."

"Alice, how long are you in LA?" Another blunt question with little time for recovery from the previous one.

I frowned this time. "I'm only here until January fifth," I hated saying it out loud because it made it real, final.

Rose nodded slowly. "Please, just don't hurt him, okay? Jasper doesn't deserve to be a fling,"

"I know he doesn't," I grumbled, all of my usual peppiness and cheer draining away.

"Would you even want to stay here? I mean, if you could find work and everything?"

It was the same question I had been contemplating in my mind since sitting on the beach with Jasper. Would I be able to leave everything, my family and job with Jane Luke, for a new life in Los Angeles? Sure, fashion was more of a priority in LA than it was in London, but could I handle it?

"I've been thinking about it," I admitted, unsure of why I was sharing all of this with Rose, "since Saturday, really. It's just, my family and I are really close and I don't know if I could leave them indefinitely. The career opportunities are here for sure, but, I just don't know..."

Rose reached across the table and squeezed my hand reassuringly. "You know it will all work out how it's supposed to, right?"

I nodded, accepting her words as truth. "I know," I assured her. Now, all I needed to do was assure was myself.

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**Up next: Edward's POV! **

**Thoughts? Suggestions? **

**Review, please :)**


	8. Chapter Seven: Accidents

**A/N: Same disclaimer as always. **

**Thanks, as always, to everyone that has added this story to their alerts, favorite lists, and left reviews. **

**Also, HEY to my twitter girls. Y'all make me happy :) Make sure you check out their amazing stories: Risky Business (by my beta, lovingangels07), Unbitten (maggieloo402), Bedroom Confessions (JandMsMommy), Empty Panes & Pretty Things (AydenMorgen), and Blood Lust (writerinmydreams007).  
**

**This chapter should answer some lingering questions I've been asked about. **

**Enjoy!**

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**Chapter Seven: Accidents  
**

Edward's POV

_'There's been an accident...'_

Four solitary words that, when strung together in a sentence, could change the course of someone's life forever. A little over a year ago, they had dramatically altered mine, and ever since, nothing had been the same.

In the days that initially followed, my life fell into a boring, robotic routine: wake up, go for a run, take a shower, go to work, come home, eat, go to bed. I welcomed the monotony to keep my mind from going to that painful place where the wounds were only beginning to heal with shallow scabs and stitches. Eventually, I began to socialize again, mainly with my family and closest friends, but my heart was still in a million little pieces as I mourned the death of my spouse that I had planned on growing old with.

Of course, when I received the urgent call from the hospital with Carlisle on the other end repeating the haunting phrase, I had no choice but to leave the cafe immediately, for my own sanity, ignoring his repeated assurances that everything was fine. I _needed_ to make sure that things were okay and that another piece of my heart wasn't in danger of shattering again because I wasn't sure it could handle another crack.

It didn't matter that I was sitting across from the first woman that had intrigued me since my late wife passed so many years ago. Our friendship was still so new, so fresh that I was hesitant to dump the double whammy of my deceased wife and five-year-old daughter on her. She was here for a vacation, not a pity party. Plus, for the first time since the accident, someone wasn't walking on eggshells around me and I was glad for that. I finally felt normal, like I was slowly becoming myself again.

As I approached the hospital, I forced the thoughts of Bella out of my head and refused to address the feelings that I _may_ or _may not_ have developed for the clumsy brunette who always seemed to need my assistance.

Even though it was a different hospital and a completely different area of the city, I stepped off the elevator into the wing designated for emergencies, when painful memories that I kept suppressed for so long came back with a vengeance. Images and statements from the night I tried so hard to suppress flooded my mind.

_'Internal bleeding...brain trauma...possible spinal injury...broken leg...'_

_Tanya __was__ strapped to a backboard that rested __on__ a gurney, her beautiful blond hair __caked in__ blood and a brace __framed__ the neck that I adored. __Her__ eyes __were __closed __and__ tubes __crossed__ her body in a tangled web._

_  
'Your daughter is fine...just a few cuts and scrapes...the car seat saved her.'_

_Lily __was__ only four years old. __She sat__ in my mother's lap as we attempted to shield her from the trauma unfolding __before__ her __young eyes__. I __needed__ to remove __my little girl__ from the scene of her mother's probable death,__ but I was in shock__._

_'First responders found the driver ten feet from the car...no seatbelt...tossed through the windshield...single vehicle accident...probably slid on the ice...'_

_Carlisle pac__ed__ outside the double doors that led into the operating room he wasn't allowed in, his hands balled into fists. I knew he __wished__ she wasn't a relative so that he could save her, save me._

_'There's nothing more we can do...see how she does through the night...it's out of our hands...'_

_I sat__ awake all night in the hard, uncomfortable chair and __made__ promises to God in exchange for __my wife's life__. Tanya __was __connected to so many machines that I lost count. __I was losing hope. _

_'Dr. Cullen, all that is keeping her alive now__ is__ the machines...no brain activity...you know how it is...'_

_We got a__ second opinion__,__ then a third…._

_And then we said__ goodbye._

My breath caught in my throat as the reminders of that night flashed through my mind and I forced myself to remember Carlisle's assurances over the phone. Lily was fine. Everything was going to be okay, it was just a small accident at the park. After slowly counting backwards from ten, I released the breath that I had trapped in my lungs and continued on the journey towards my daughter after a brief stop at the nurses' station for a room number.

I quietly opened the heavy wooden door in case Llly was asleep on the other side. Of course, she wasn't. I smiled when I saw her seated atop the examination table, a bright red sucker in one hand. Her hair was pulled up into pigtails with little pink ribbons and there were clumps of dirt smudged into the denim fabric covering her knees. Lily was bouncing, a trait she inherited from Alice, when she heard the door open.

"Daddy!" she squealed when she saw me enter. I savored the tone of her little voice, knowing that it would mature in what seemed like a blink of an eye.

I was at her side within seconds. "Hey, baby girl," I cooed, kissing her on the forehead before backing away to check her for injuries. From what I could gather, it seemed that only her right arm was affected.

"Stupid JB pushed me off the slide at the park when Nan wasn't looking," she explained without being prompted, her voice pouty as I poked and prodded at her arm. It rested awkwardly on a sterile table next to the bed and a metal brace that framed both sides was attached with medical tape.

I leaned down in front of her, my arms framing the tiny girl with dark bronze hair, "Did he do it on purpose?"

Lily shrugged and the look on her small, doll-like face told me she hadn't been completely innocent in the playground encounter.

I heard Esme sigh from behind me. Lily huffed, knowing she had been caught.

"Lily? What did you do to Jacob?" I asked in an authoritative tone that I knew she would respond to.

"I pulled his ponytail," she answered in a proud, matter-of-fact tone.

"Why did you pull his..._ponytail_?" Ponytail? On a five-year-old boy?

She folded her arms across her chest and pouted some more…always so stubborn.

"He made fun of me." Her eyes were trained on the floor as she mumbled her answer.

I straightened suddenly. Lily was usually so strong willed and sure of herself; I couldn't imagine what could have been said to provoke her. "What did he say?"

Lily was silent for a few tense, awkward moments before she finally spoke.

"That I didn't have a mommy." Her eyes were trained on the ground avoiding my gaze.

I had anticipated this day; I knew it was coming. Lily was going to have questions and she was going to overhear people talk. What I did not expect however, was for that day to come before she even had a chance to step foot in school.

Before I got the opportunity to debunk the snot-nosed boy's taunting, the door opened again and Carlisle stepped through with the X-Ray results from the scans taken prior to my arrival.

"Son," he nodded in greeting as he clipped them to the illuminated board.

I turned to him and smiled warily, "Is it broken?"

He shook his head, examining the image carefully, "Just a sprain. You know the procedure for handling it, I'm sure," he said with a smirk.

"I do," I agreed, shifting my attention back to my daughter.

"Lilybug," Carlisle turned to face her, bending down so that he could look her in the eye. "Do you promise me you won't let JB bother you again?"

She nodded, the hint of a smile playing on her lips. "I'll try," she promised, "but sometimes he smells like wet dog and I can't help myself." I was amazed at the maturity of her statement.

Esme snorted, a rarity for my always-polished mother, Carlisle boomed with laughter, and I chuckled lightly to myself.

"She does have a point," Esme stated. "His father reeked of a terrible odor as he apologized for his son's outburst."

I turned to her and glared; she wasn't supposed to be encouraging Lily's behavior. She held up her hands in innocence, playing the grandmother card.

I looked to Lily, who was shooting me the most innocent face she could muster, and sighed. "Let's get you home, baby girl," I said before picking her up. Within seconds, she was cuddled into my side, her head was on my shoulder and she was on her way to dreamland.

After thanking Carlisle for leaving the surgical floor for a bit to take care of Lily, I turned to Esme. "Thanks for today, Mom."

"Anytime, son. We'll see you two for Christmas Eve?"

"Sure thing," I assured her before placing a quick kiss on her cheek.

**

"Where's Sugar?" Lily called from her perch in the middle of my king sized bed; I was allowing her to sleep in my room for the night after her difficult afternoon. She had begged and begged and, after a while, I couldn't find it in my heart to say no.

Sugar was Lily's stuffed giraffe, a favorite present from Carlisle and Esme that never left her sight.

"Is he not in here?" I asked.

She shook her head back and forth, her ponytail swaying as she did.

I nodded. "I'll go get him."

In keeping with the general tone of the day, I was waiting on Lily, hand and foot. She had, of course, milked her playground injury to the fullest. All afternoon, it had been a refill of chocolate milk here, an episode of Dora the Explorer there, and her favorite dinner, McDonalds (which I despised), to top it all off.

I had to admit, though, I couldn't resist her charm and puppy dog eyes, especially after my worry this morning.

After retrieving Sugar, I stuck him under the covers next to Lily and climbed in the bed beside her. Ever the snuggle bug, she cuddled into my side instantly. Before I knew it, I was nodding off.

"Daddy?" Lily asked, waking me out of my short doze.

I looked down at her frowning face and sad eyes. "What's wrong, baby girl?"

"Sometimes," she paused, "I can't remember Mommy."

I slowly licked my lips, trying to find the best way to console my daughter; to reassure her that her mother's memory would never fade.

"Well it's a good thing I can tell you whatever you need to know," I finally came up with. My voice cracked as I spoke.

Lily bit her lip. "I think I remember that she was pretty," she mumbled.

"She was beautiful," I tapped Lily's nose with my index finger, "just like you."

She smiled up at me. "Really?"

"Really," I agreed with a nod. "And she was smart and funny and loved to go shopping with your Aunt Alice."

"I like shopping with Aunt Alice, too," Lily grinned happily, sitting up straighter, satisfied that she had some of her mother's traits and habits.

"You're very much like her," I agreed. "You're sweet and very, very smart and I love you."

Lily didn't reply, but she sighed and nestled closer into my side. After a few quiet minutes, I assumed that she had fallen asleep until she unexpectedly spoke again.

"Daddy?"

"Hm?" I assumed another simple question about Tanya and her favorite things was coming.

"Will I ever get a new Mommy? My friend Kate got a new Mommy…"

The room fell silent as the question hung in the room. I had no clue how to respond to my sweet girl and her innocent inquiry. Of course, I would love to eventually remarry, find another mate, but I didn't want to disrespect Tanya's memory. _Was it too soon?_

"Um," I began, "do you want a new Mommy?"

Lily seemed to ponder this, her head rocking back and forth as she hummed under her breath.

"I don't think I would mind a new Mommy…"

I couldn't help but grin at her cuteness. "Honey, is this about what JB said today at the park?"

She frowned. "A little bit…"

"And the rest?"

"It's just, no offense Daddy, but you're a boy," she said.

I chuckled. "I'm aware of that."

She continued. "I think I might want to have another girl here for, you know, girl things and to talk about boyfriends and stuff, for when I grow up."

"No boyfriends," I injected.

She rolled her eyes. "Daddy, I have, like, three boyfriends."

"Three?" I screeched.

She nodded. "Well, really only two. JB thinks he's my boyfriend but he smells funny sometimes, remember?"

"Yes, I remember. But three? Lil…" I groaned.

She shrugged, sending me a familiar crooked grin that explained it all.

"Do you kiss them?" I knew she was only five but I felt the need to cover my bases.

"Ew, no! Daddy, they have cooties. We just play together when Nan takes me to the park sometimes." Whew.

I nodded firmly. "Good. No kissing until you're married." I could try, no matter how in vain my efforts might be.

"Okay," she agreed innocently. I made a mental note to hold her to that agreement when she grew up and I caught her kissing her boyfriend.

"Okay," I echoed with a firm nod.

"I think," she stated, changing gears again, "that Mommy would be okay with you finding me a new Mommy."

My eyebrows rose in surprise. Sometimes Lily spoke and I wondered if she was an old soul stuck in the body of a five-year-old.

"Why do you say that, bug?"

"Because," she said with a sigh, "she wants you to be happy." The tone of her voice made me think she wanted to add 'duh' at the end.

"I am happy," I countered.

Lily shook her head back and forth. "You could be _happier_."

"You think?"

She nodded. "I know," she closed her eyes as she spoke, "goodnight, Daddy."

Within minutes, she was snoring softly against my side and I was wide-awake, contemplating the conversation that had just taken place.

My five year old just told me, in her own unique way, that she thought I was unhappy and that she didn't want me to be.

As I pondered the reasoning behind her decision to tell me that she wanted me to be happier, my mind drifted to the last time I felt truly happy and content. I didn't have to search too hard for such a moment, because I found it in my serendipitous encounter with Bella earlier in the day at the café I frequented.

I recalled my thoughts from earlier, needing to evaluate the importance of the peace I felt around her. I was now almost certain that I felt whole around her because, to her, I was. She didn't know the heartache that left me broken. She wasn't aware that I was solely responsible for a five-year-old that bounced and skipped everywhere and loved a stuffed giraffe named Sugar.

She didn't know, I realized, anything significant about me…and she needed to, for no reason other than that she made me happy.

It was time, I decided, to open up a little more of myself to Bella.

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**There it is :) Questions answered? Was it what you expected? **

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_**EDIT: I added a new story today titled Texts from Last Night. Check it out if you love Edward and Bella!**_


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